Just Another School Year
by Megamind
Summary: Roxanne Ritchi's senior year of high school takes a whole new turn when a charismatic new student arrives and changes everything, helping her to find the strength to stand up for what she believes in, and to help him be the man he was always meant to be.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: OMG, the rewrite is actually _finished_! And just in time for the holidays too! :D I think you guys are _really_ going to like what I've done with this story! I've nearly _TRIPLED_ the size of it! Yes, that's right - that means A LOT more chapters of Megamind goodness for your reading pleasure! I've included a few things that weren't there before, made some changes, and I have no doubt the story is MUCH stronger for it! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised! ^_^ Now, as before,** this fic is going to be rated M overall** for a _reason_. Yes, that's right, you guessed it - the smut is still there, and uh... *Clears throat, blushes* _Much_ more _graphic_... XD But still very sweet. It doesn't come until later in the story, and those chapters will be clearly marked. Some of the chapters will be shorter than others; I'm breaking it up based on where I feel it _should_ be so I don't end up with chapters 20 or 30 pages long... XD Most of the breaks follow the same points as before. I think the chapters will probably be much longer later in the story than early on. If you commented before, _PLEASE_ comment again! :D Everyone, please read and comment! Positive reviews are like a drug... I just can't get enough! ;D That said, I can't think of anything else that must be pointed out for this chapter, so please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 1**

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><p>This would be just another school year, just like every other, Roxanne Ritchi figured as she arrived at Metro High School for the first day of her senior year. OK, sure, she was a senior now, and had the prom and every other luxury afforded only to seniors to look forward to (like the privilege of driving her car to school instead of taking the bus), but other than that, she didn't really expect anything to be different about this year as opposed to any other. She would go to her classes, do her homework, and hone her skills as a journalist and editor for the high school paper — as she always did. With the exception of planning for her future college education — she had already decided she wanted to be a reporter — her days as a senior would be much the same as they always had been throughout her high school education. She didn't expect anything to really change, at least not in any kind of meaningful way. Fate, though, had other plans.<p>

The day had begun just like any other, only this time she had driven to school in the silver Chevy Malibu her parents had given her over the summer break for her birthday. It wasn't brand new; in fact, it was a few years old, but it had been well cared for and ran smoothly, so despite a few cosmetic blemishes (a scratch on the bumper here, a small scrape on the bottom of the door there, nothing major), Roxanne had been extremely grateful for the gift. She'd never been overly obsessed with appearances anyway; after all, it was the heart inside a person that mattered, not the image others refused to look beyond, and she'd always felt the same went for vehicles as well. So despite the fact the car was not a bright red brand new camaro or the flashy new corvettes many of the senior men were showing off, she was immensely proud of her silver baby. It could purr just as well as theirs could, but hers could get better gas mileage — a plus for any teenage high schooler on a limited budget. Smiling at the promise of a bright new school year, she had grabbed her backpack and notebook and headed towards the large red brick building.

Not much had changed over the summer vacation. The same people still hung out together in the same cliques, the same unfortunate geeks getting ignored and huddling together under trees to share their griefs and concerns for what promised to be another miserable year of being bullied. The "popular" girls were still found squealing together over Metro Dude's latest heroic antics, and the jocks still strutted through the school grounds as if they owned the place. Freshmen stood apart observing the interactions of older students with awe-struck, envious eyes, dreaming of the day when they, too, would find their place among them and fit in. Nothing had changed, not even Metro Dude.

Roxanne shook her head, smiling in an amused kind of way as she spotted the high school's most popular and promising student showing off for a group of screaming girls. Captain of the football team and the best wrestler in the school (by far), Metro Dude wasn't exactly the brightest bulb on the planet… But he certainly had powers and a certain natural charm that promised to propel him into the limelight in the very near future. An orphaned alien from another galaxy, Metro Dude — or Wayne Scott, as his adoptive parents had named him — had been adopted and raised by the Lord and Lady Scott, a very wealthy family who had fallen in love with him when they had found him as a baby. Metro Dude had, therefore, never wanted for anything, and his natural charisma and showmanship had catapulted him to the very top of the popularity ladder. This was a man who would do great things… With the power of flight, laser vision, super-human strength, and invulnerability to boot, Metro Dude was shaping up to be quite the hero, and had already begun to win the hearts of Metro City's citizens by testing his crime fighting abilities in preparation for the launching of his superhero career. Over the course of the summer alone, he'd managed to save an old woman's life from an oncoming bus, stop a bank robbery or two, and catch a fleeing gunman from a murder scene, just to name a few of his exploits. Once he graduated from high school, Metro Dude would become the greatest hero Metro City had ever seen… Roxanne had high hopes for his career, and looked forward to the day that she would be able to cover his exploits in her own career as a news reporter.

"Hey, Roxy!" Metro Dude shouted as he spotted her, flying over to land gracefully before the young woman. He was wearing his typical charming smile, and Roxanne tried not to giggle at it. He hadn't changed one bit. "How was your summer?"

"Not bad," Roxanne shrugged, smiling back at him. "Uneventful. I spent most of my time studying up on journalism and trying to determine the best college to go to for a career as a reporter. I think I've narrowed it down to a few possibilities, with Metro State the most likely choice. I still have more research to do before I decide, though."

Metro Dude chuckled, casting her a kind of suave, knowing grin. "Same old Roxy… Still the journalist, even at home. You'll make a fine reporter."

"Well, thank you, Metro Dude!" Roxanne beamed at his compliment. "That's very kind of you!"

Metro Dude merely shook his head, looking serious as he placed one hand over his heart, raising his other up, palm facing Roxanne as if taking an oath. "I only speak the truth! You earned your credentials yourself."

Roxanne giggled. He certainly was a charmer, even if he wasn't her type. "Even so, it's always nice to hear a compliment. I've heard of your own exploits, as well. Becoming quite the crime fighter in your time off, huh? I think you're going to make a great hero."

Metro Dude chuckled and shrugged, flexing his burly muscles as he puffed out his chest. For a teenager, he already had the frame of a man, and enough musculature to go head to head with a body-builder. He looked almost like a perfectly chiseled statue… "I'm thinking of going by the name 'Metro Man' once I kick off my career as a superhero. What do you think?"

Roxanne nodded. "I think it most definitely sounds better than 'Metro Dude,'" she snickered. "Much more adult."

Metro Dude nodded. "Yeah, I don't much care for Metro Dude either… But it's only for another year, then Metro Man will be born!"

"I look forward to his unveiling," Roxanne smiled, starting to move towards the doors to the school building to get to class. "Are you looking forward to the new school year?"

Metro Dude nodded, floating gracefully along the ground beside her as she walked. "Should be exciting. With all the new privileges we seniors have, it should make things more interesting, and of course, then there's the prom…" He chuckled as Roxanne cast him a pointed look. "Don't worry, Roxy. I won't ask you. I know you're not interested, but the rumors are already starting… You know how the others see us."

Roxanne sighed, shaking her head. "Yeah… The reporter and the hero, what could be more perfect? You know those rumors have haunted me every day that I've gone to this school, and we've never even done anything to start them!"

Metro Dude shrugged. "I guess they just don't understand the concept of friendship."

Roxanne nodded. How true that was… Most of the kids who went to this school were airheads who really didn't understand much of anything, let alone the value of a true friend. Lifting her chin, she smiled as she determined, "Yes, well, I've decided I'm not going to let it bother me this year! This is my senior year, and it's going to be a good one!"

"That's right, Roxy!" Metro Dude agreed. "Ignore the rumors. You focus on the important issues. Let the gossip die."

"This will be a good year," Roxanne repeated confidently, "Full of good things and pleasant experiences."

"Oh, did you hear?" Metro Dude asked her quietly, his feet finally touching the ground to walk beside her as he looked her in her eyes. "We're getting a new student today…"

Roxanne shrugged. "So? There are lots of new freshmen coming in…"

Metro Dude shook his head. "No. Not a freshmen. He's a _senior_."

Roxanne blinked. A senior? That was a little unusual… "A senior? Are you sure?"

Metro Dude nodded. "He's being admitted today. I don't know anything more than that, but the rumor I'm hearing is that he's going to need to be _watched_…"

Roxanne considered this for a moment, her curiosity piqued. The new boy would have to be _watched_? Why? Was he epileptic? Physically or mentally handicapped? A troublemaker? She shook her head to push out the troublesome thoughts, insisting firmly, "Metro Dude, you know better than to listen to rumors. For all we know, this kid may be no different than any other. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt before we start _watching_ him, OK?"

"Of course, of course. You're right, Roxy," Metro Dude agreed, properly chastised for his suspicion. "Justice never judges before all the facts are in."

Roxanne laughed softly. "Boy, Metro Dude, you even _sound_ like a hero."

Metro Dude's grin brightened. "Really? You think so? I've been practicing…"

"Keep it up," Roxanne giggled. "You'll be a superhero in no time. Now come on. Let's get to class." She picked up her pace, Metro Dude following right behind her. Though she wouldn't admit it out loud, she wondered who this new boy was, and what he would be like…


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: No warnings for this one! This chapter's rated G. :) Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 2**

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><p>The new senior wasn't anything like what she had expected.<p>

Settling down at her desk for homeroom, Roxanne set her backpack down, then looked eagerly toward the front of the class to where the teacher was clearing her throat and suddenly looking oddly nervous. Roxanne glanced towards the classroom door and noticed in surprise that she hadn't closed it… So the new kid either hadn't arrived yet, or was waiting outside to be introduced. But why did Mrs. Green look so anxious? It wasn't like her… The older teacher was usually rather calm and collected, never frazzled. Roxanne stole a glance to where Metro Dude was sitting in the front row, noticed he seemed just as confused as she was by their teacher's strange behavior. Something had the woman on edge; she couldn't help but wonder what…

Mrs. Green moved to the side of the room opposite the door and coughed anxiously into her hand. "We have a new student with us today. He's a little different… But we'd like you to welcome him all the same. I'd like you to meet," she looked towards the door and gestured for someone to come in, "Megamind…"

Roxanne's eyes widened as the new boy stepped into the room, his head held high, a cocky grin on his lips — blue lips. He was blue! He was a few inches shorter than average, _extremely_ thin, had an enormous bald head, a thin, black goatee, and _blue_ skin! He didn't look _anything_ like what she'd expected. She had thought he'd be human, at least… Dressed in a tight black pair of jeans, a black t-shirt with a blue lightning bolt on it, chains hanging from his studded leather belt, and gleaming silver spikes protruding from the leather choker around his neck and bracers he was wearing around his wrists, black leather boots peeking out from beneath his jeans, he seemed to be going for the "bad boy" look. But what hit her most were his eyes — large, expressive, and brilliantly green, they looked almost hungry as they focused immediately on Metro Dude, his grin widening amusedly as the resident hero leapt to his feet and cried, "_You_!"

Roxanne blinked as she realized her friend apparently had a history with this new blue alien, a history he hadn't told her about, but she didn't have time to ponder it before Megamind chuckled, his eyes fixed on the shocked alien man as he practically purred, a strange robotic monkey with a fish inside a glass dome for a head following him into the classroom, "It's been a long time, Metro Boy. Did you miss me?"

Metro Dude's shocked expression melted into one of distrust as he glared right back at the blue teenager, retorting sharply, "The name is Metro _Dude_, and no, I didn't."

Ever the observant blossoming reporter, Roxanne was stunned to see Megamind's jaw clench as his expression grew strained — a sort of mix between disappointment and anger evident in his expressive green eyes. It lasted for only a mere glimmer of a second before he masked it with a cocky grin once again, but she had seen it… "Oh, that's such a shame…" Megamind shot right back at the hero-to-be. "I'd expected more from you, but then I suppose one can't really expect much from a dim-witted, underdeveloped oaf, now can we?"

"What are you doing here?" Metro Dude demanded, his eyes flashing suspiciously as he watched Megamind's every move.

Megamind shrugged, laughing at the boy as though he were really rather dull. "What does it look like?" he chuckled, gesturing to the room around him. "I'm going to _shool_, just like you."

Roxanne blinked, stunned at the new blue boy's mispronunciation of a term that should have been familiar to him. Metro Dude was practically fuming… "It's pronounced _school_, _Megamind_, and whatever you're up to, I know it's no good! I've got my eye on you, you little blue pipsqueak, and if you even so much as set one _foot_ out of line, I'll smack you back into place so hard you'll be feeling it next Tuesday!"

"Why you…!" Megamind started to roar, but before he could get too riled up, the robotic monkey that had followed him leapt up onto his shoulder and shook him.

"Sir! Sir, let it go!" the fish inside the robotic suit cried seriously to his master, desperately trying to distract him from Metro Dude's confident glare and the laughter that was beginning to sound around the room. "Ignore him!"

Megamind grunted, sticking his nose up in the air at Metro Dude as he started to head towards an empty seat in the room — a seat right next to Roxanne. "You're right, Minion," he agreed, flashing a cocky grin back at Metro Dude. "It's not worth it — _yet_."

Megamind was laughing as he took a seat, savoring what he felt was an intellectual victory over the brawny teenager still trying to keep an eye on his movements. Strangely enough, Roxanne was seemingly unable to stop staring at the strangely charismatic blue alien now sitting beside her, Megamind completely unaware of her eyes on him as he grinned back at Metro Dude with a calculating, patient expression in his eyes that suggested he was simply biding his time. Roxanne couldn't help but wonder if he was planning something, the obvious bad blood between him and the future hero still hanging in the air like an electrical charge, filling the room with an almost palpable tension. "Megamind," Mrs. Green suddenly spoke up, snapping Roxanne out of her curious reverie, and as the blue teenager's eyes met the older woman's, she swallowed hard and pointed to the fish. "You are not allowed to have pets at school. Your fish will have to be stored in your locker."

"Pets?" Megamind cried, the cocky grin fading from his lips to be replaced by a look of absolute indignation instead. He was practically bristling, despite the lack of hair on his head, fuming. "_Pets_? I'll have you know, you soft-headed mindless drone, that Minion is _no_ pet! He's my friend, and his intelligence is more than a match for yours!"

"Megamind, I will warn you only once to watch your tone with me, or I will have to send you to detention!" Mrs. Green warned the defiant blue alien, doing her best to look unintimidated by his threatening glare. "Now put that fish away!"

"No!" Megamind firmly refused, his hands tightening protectively around Minion's robotic body, the fish inside beginning to look incredibly uncomfortable. "Minion stays with me!"

Before Mrs. Green could say anything further, Minion squirmed out of the boy's clutching blue hands and turned to face him. "It's OK, Sir!" the fish cheerfully assured his master. "We knew high school would be different, didn't we? I'll wait in your locker. I remember the combination. You can get me later. Just remember why you're here…"

Megamind sighed in frustration, but casting a quick glance to Metro Dude Roxanne couldn't help but notice, he nodded. "Right. OK, Minion. You go wait in my locker. I'll let you out soon." The alien fish nodded, then happily raced out of the room to find his master's locker on his own as Megamind glared at the teacher, "There! You happy now?"

Choosing to ignore his snide remark, Mrs. Green turned her attention to the day's agenda as Roxanne found herself curiously studying the new alien's strange behavior. He was trying to project a dangerous image, to maintain the persona of a "bad boy," but somehow as she watched him pull out a notebook and poke idly at it with a pencil, pouting at the loss of the company of his oddly intelligent fish, she couldn't help but wonder what was _really_ going on inside that obviously large head of his. He'd only been in their class a total of five minutes, and he'd already managed to stir everyone up — especially Metro Dude, she noticed. The usually calm, suave super-powered teenager was trying to watch him over his shoulder, obviously keeping an eye on him. And Megamind was staring right back, his cocky grin reappearing on his face. His emerald eyes were scanning carefully over every aspect of the room, soaking in the details like a sponge. And then it happened… He spotted her staring at him, his cheeks flushing purple as he quickly opened his notebook and started scribbling furiously in it, focusing his attention on that instead of her, though he glanced up every now and then out of the corners of his eyes to see if she was still watching him. He certainly was unique; she had to give him that… She couldn't help but want to find out more about what made him tick…

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><p>As it turned out, Megamind was in quite a few of the same classes Roxanne was taking. She had been surprised to see him saunter into her advanced calculus class — a class she had worked very hard to get into — and take a seat in the back, yawning. But what she had mistaken for disruptive behavior actually turned out to be boredom and frustration. Only a few minutes into the lesson and he started correcting the teacher <em>and<em> their math book, going off on a tangent about physics and how mathematics — _proper_ mathematics, he said — were vital to science and the creation of any kind of machinery. He was in the middle of trying to explain how a certain function of a particular equation could turn air into energy when the teacher got fed up with his obvious brilliance and sentenced him to detention. Roxanne had actually felt sorry for him as she watched the light fade from his eyes, his excitement deflated as he pouted, muttering under his breath at his calculus book. Every class she had with him had gone the same until she began to realize that this was no alien of average intelligence like Metro Dude — this was a man of supremely advanced _genius_ — and he knew it. What he was doing in a high school instead of working in a science lab was beyond her. Her developing reporter skills intrigued, she knew she had to get to the bottom of this. She had to talk to him.

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><p>Roxanne never got the chance to talk to Megamind. Though she spotted him occasionally walking through the crowded halls, "accidentally" getting bumped into by every jock and cold-hearted high schooler who passed him, he seemed to have his own agenda — and it didn't involve hanging around anywhere he could be found. She'd even looked for him during lunch, but hadn't seen him in the cafeteria. Only once did she spot him looking in her direction, and she'd blushed as she realized he was listening in on a conversation two giggling girls were having nearby of how perfect a "couple" she and Metro Dude were. His eyes had been so strangely calculating as he absorbed the information and studied her carefully that she'd lost the nerve to approach him and had quickly vanished back into the crowd again instead. She didn't see him at all after that.<p>

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><p>Roxanne went home that night feeling more frustrated than excited. Her first day back to school for her senior year had thrown her more surprises than she'd originally anticipated. She'd gotten a glimpse of a new student who had somehow managed to intrigue her despite the fact they hadn't actually exchanged even two words that day, and even Metro Dude was refusing to divulge any details about his prior history with the new resident bad boy. She'd seen Megamind receive detention from every teacher he met, but couldn't help but wonder if he really deserved it… She'd even lost the nerve to interview him — a first for her, her sharpening reporter skills usually giving her the confidence to approach anyone, especially if it could get her information that might become a good story to write about for the school paper. Poking idly at the pencil holder on the desk in her bedroom, she rested her cheek against her hand as she remembered his eyes as he'd stared at her, studying her, the girls' rumor still ringing in her head, "Oh, I'm so jealous of Roxanne Ritchi! What I wouldn't give to be in her shoes and dating Metro Dude!"<p>

"Yeah, she's so lucky! I've heard he's even planning to ask her to the prom!" the second girl had squealed.

The other girl had practically swooned, sighing dreamily, "Oh, they're going to be the best couple at the prom! I'll bet they even get crowned King and Queen!"

That had been about the time Megamind's eyes had somehow managed to make her turn and bolt.

Why did the thought of Megamind believing the rumors about her and Metro Dude upset her so? Roxanne sighed, tossing her pencil down onto her desk, ignoring her homework for a moment. Somehow, that question simply seemed more important at the moment than these annoyingly difficult calculus questions she was beginning to worry she'd never understand. The whole school believed she and Metro Dude were an item, so if that didn't bother her, why should it matter if the new bad boy in school believed it too? She'd always been annoyed by the rumors, but until now, they'd never really _bothered_ her. Why should they start to now?

_It has something to do with Megamind_, Roxanne was forced to admit to herself as she stared at her ceiling blankly. There was something about the oddly charismatic, eccentric alien that had intrigued her, that had forced her to face frustrations she'd felt all along with rumors that just weren't true. Yes, that _had_ to be it. It was probably his connection to Metro Dude, the references to a history she instinctively knew was anything but friendly. He'd tangled with Metro Dude before, but how? When? She wanted details, and to get them, she had to either get Metro Dude to start talking, or pin down Megamind and question him. Considering Metro Dude was strangely tight-lipped concerning his familiarity with the big-headed blue teenager, she knew she had only one option: she _had_ to talk to Megamind. She'd try to approach him again tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: No warnings for this chapter! This one's another short one, but I promise, they do get longer later. XD Right now I'm just following the same breaking points as I did before because they make sense to me. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 3**

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><p>Roxanne still couldn't pin Megamind down the following day. Or the rest of that week, actually.<p>

Megamind obviously didn't like crowds. He was always the last one to come into the classroom, and the first one to leave. Though as Roxanne watched him get jostled to and fro, shoved roughly by passing students in the halls every day, she had to admit, she couldn't blame him. But it did make him very hard to track down…

Finally, fed up with trying to play hide and seek with the blue alien in the halls, Roxanne decided to take a more proactive approach to get his attention. Sitting at her desk in her advanced calculus class, she readied herself for action as the class drew to a close, keeping an eye on Megamind's seat two rows behind and to the right of hers. His thin body was already poised on the edge of his seat, his eyes incredibly bored as he struggled to simply make it through the lesson without speaking up about the errors he was no doubt finding in the lesson in the hopes of making it through at least _one_ day without earning a stay in detention — a _very_ difficult test of his patience. He'd been sent to detention every day since school began, Roxanne realized, his obviously brilliant mind refusing to let him sit quietly through just about any class he was taking. Sweeping her books into her backpack sooner than usual, Roxanne prepared to spring from her seat the second she detected movement from him. Today she would _finally_ get him to talk to her — and if she was lucky, maybe even get him to help her understand all these equations that seemed so easy and boring for him but were giving her trouble. Who better to ask for help than the school's obviously brightest student, even if he had a reputation for causing trouble and getting into fights?

Megamind shifted in his seat, his eyes locked on the clock, willing time to go by faster, and Roxanne prepared to spring. Any second now, the bell would ring and the blue-skinned teenager would be making a quick exit before anyone could "accidentally" slam him into the door. What he hadn't counted on was one particularly determined future reporter… The bell rang, and Megamind shot up like a bolt. So did Roxanne.

The blue teenager made a B-line straight for the door, his books clutched tight in his hand, but this time Roxanne was faster. Cutting him off and stopping short directly in his path, Megamind bumped rather unceremoniously right into her, dropping his books and notes all over the ground. "Oh, I'm sorry!" Roxanne apologized quickly as he yelped, almost falling over and taking her with him, their classmates laughing at him as they pushed their way past them, rudely trampling all over his papers as he tried to gather them up and dodge their kicking feet at the same time. She immediately knelt down to help him.

"Why don't you watch where you're going?" Megamind snapped at her, roughly tearing a sketch from her hand and frowning at her coolly. Roxanne blinked as she realized it actually hadn't been a sketch, but a blueprint for what she was willing to bet was some very advanced machinery… He faltered for a moment as his eyes met hers and he realized who it was he had bumped into, his cheeks even turning a slight shade of purple before he cleared his throat and adopted his best annoyed look as he scolded her. "You could have hurt someone!"

"I'm really sorry…" Roxanne apologized again, her eyes running quickly over his incredibly thin body, scanning for injuries. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

This time, though, he laughed, a cocky grin appearing on his lips as he assured her, "Not at all. It's not that easy to hurt me." As she blinked at him, he picked up the last stray sheet of paper, stuffing it into his notebook as he stood and tried to rush her out the door, eager to leave the now empty room and go about his business. "Now get going! You'd better hurry, or you'll be late to class. We wouldn't want to end up in detention, now would we?"

"You always do," Roxanne countered in the hopes it would get his attention. It did. Megamind froze in his tracks, turning a very suspicious, studious eye on her. Well, he was wary, but at least he was now listening… She felt her cheeks getting hot under the weight of his gaze and cleared her throat awkwardly. "Though I have to admit, I have yet to see a good reason why…"

Megamind's eyes widened at her in obvious surprise before growing wary again. "What are you trying to pull?" he demanded sharply, his tone growing cold, and she swallowed hard. "Did your overgrown oaf of a boyfriend put you up to this? Did he send you to spy on the great Megamind?" He chuckled, his face breaking out into a delightedly wicked grin. "Oh, ho ho! So Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes is shaking in his boots! Oh, this is delicious!" Still grinning to himself, he pushed his way past her without another word, leaving her blinking in stunned surprise.

Shocked at the venom she'd heard in his voice for someone she knew as a friend and confused by the sudden knot she felt in her stomach as she realized Megamind did indeed believe she was dating Metro Dude, she turned quickly on her heel and hurried after him. "Wait a second!" she called out to him as she caught up with the blue alien, matching his pace to walk beside him. "No one put me up to anything! It was an accident! Really!"

He looked at her doubtfully. "Oh, really? Then why were you in my way?" he demanded, his voice as smooth as silk. "I've seen your pattern. You're _never_ the first one out the door. You're usually one of the last, taking your time to write down assignments and double-check them."

"Well, for your information, I was _trying_ to catch you before you bolted out the door and disappeared again," Roxanne coolly shot back at him. "I've been _trying_ to pin you down for days!"

Now Megamind was definitely surprised, staring at her with wide eyes for a moment before growing cautious again. "Why?" he demanded warily. "What do you want from me?"

"Well, if nothing else, to ask for your help," Roxanne informed him softly.

Megamind looked at her as though she were crazy. "Help? What kind of help?"

Roxanne felt her cheeks grow hot and knew she was blushing as she bit her lip for a moment before admitting, "With my homework…" He blinked at her and she forced her eyes to meet his. "I worked very hard to get into these advanced classes, but I'm not sure I'm quite getting some of the concepts. Take this calculus class, for example. Some of these formulas are just… Well… Beyond me. I'm afraid I don't quite understand the material."

Megamind grunted. "I'm not surprised. These textbooks are so poorly written, I wouldn't be surprised if they were edited by chimpanzees." He turned a curious eye on her. "You seem pretty bright though… Not like a lot of the other dunderheads in the class. Why would you need help? And even if you do, why ask me? No one _ever_ asks _me_."

"Well, perhaps they should," Roxanne suggested nonchalantly. "You're obviously brilliant… They might even learn a thing or two from you. Who better to ask for help than the guy who knows more than the professor?"

Now Megamind was studying her hard. "I don't understand you…" he almost growled at her. "What's your angle here? The bell's about to ring any second now, I'm going to end up in detention again tonight, and you're going to be sent there right along with me. What are you _really_ after?"

Roxanne sighed in frustration. He was obviously not used to anyone taking an interest in him for any other reason than to be used as a punching bag. She stopped in her tracks, turning to face him, her eyes serious. "It's simple. I want to study with you."

"You want to study with _me_," Megamind repeated doubtfully, watching her carefully.

Roxanne nodded. "Yes. I want to study with _you_."

"And how does your precious Metro Dweeb feel about this?" Megamind questioned, his eyes calculating as he obviously weighed possibilities in his mind. "Have you even told him you've been looking for me?"

Roxanne sighed, trying not to huff at him as he again made it clear he believed she was dating Metro Dude. "It's Metro _Dude_, and no, he doesn't know. He doesn't need to."

Megamind's face split into a wicked grin as he began to laugh. "Oh, ho! Keeping secrets, are we? Trouble in paradise?"

Roxanne rolled her eyes. "No! Now will you help me study, or not?"

Megamind shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. "I suppose I could point you in the right direction…" he gave in. "Meet me under the oak tree outside at lunch and we…"

"I was thinking of a time when we might not have to worry about interruptions or bells ringing," Roxanne suggested, cutting him off. He merely blinked at her. "You know, like maybe after school?"

Megamind shook his head. "I can't. I can't stay for anything but detention. I have to go home after that."

Roxanne merely smiled at him in her most charming manner, suggesting in her most persuasive tone, "Then we'll study there."

Now Megamind's eyes _really_ went wide, then he broke out laughing, turning to continue walking towards his next class. The bell rang; he only had a minute to get to his seat before he was slapped with detention again, but he had no intentions of rushing. He was shocked Roxanne wasn't bolting down the hallway… "Oh, now I _know_ you're pulling my leg! I'm going to have to tell Minion about _this_! Study — in _my_ home! Hah! That's a good one!"

"Why are you laughing?" Roxanne blinked at him, completely confused by his behavior. There was no way she was getting to her class on time, but somehow she didn't care… She'd just have to spend the few hours of silent punishment with him then. "It's not an unusual suggestion…"

He shook his head at her, an amused smile on his lips as he informed her, "I don't get visitors."

Roxanne knew he didn't have many friends, but none at all? She couldn't help but stare at him in sympathy. "Then perhaps it's time you get one."

Megamind eyed her strangely, but admitted rather firmly, "Listen, I don't know if such a thing is even _possible_, let alone _wise_. I don't live like you do… I'm… different."

"I don't care," Roxanne shrugged. "Appearances aren't everything. I want to study with you. Let me visit."

Megamind regarded her carefully, then groaned as he reluctantly gave in. "Fine… I'll try to get you in, but I can't promise anything! I'll be seeing you in detention tonight. We'll be leaving right afterwards." Without even waiting for a single word of gratitude or reply from her, he dashed off down the hall, leaving her behind to wonder what he meant by having to "get her in" and to find her classroom and first-ever detention sentence on her own.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: No warnings for this chapter! I hope you guys like it! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 4**

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><p>Detention was certainly a new experience for Roxanne. She'd never been in trouble before, and it didn't feel good on her conscience. Stuck in a room with only Megamind and the principal for company, not allowed to speak, she could do nothing but her homework as the blue alien took a seat beside her, scribbling away in his notebook. She never noticed the curious, almost longing glances he was casting her out of the corners of his eyes… Her attention was almost entirely focused on the troublesome homework on her desk.<p>

When it was finally over and they were released from detention, Roxanne heaved a heavy sigh of relief as she turned expectantly to Megamind, never noticing the awkward, anxious shift of his feet. "Oh, I'm glad that's over!" she sighed. "How on Earth do you do that every day?"

Megamind shrugged. "What, this? This is nothing. I do a lot of this," he informed her almost bluntly, then led the way out of the room to head for the exit.

When the two stepped outside the school entrance, Roxanne smiled softly at him as she asked innocently, "So, where's your ride? Is it in the parking lot?"

Megamind seemed to flush a soft shade of purple as he shook his head. "It's not here yet. Listen, I have to go change before they get here for me or I'll be in trouble… Wait here." She blinked as he raced off back inside, Minion following close behind him. He had to change? Why? His habits just kept getting stranger and stranger…

When a bus marked "Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted" pulled up to the curb, Roxanne blinked at it in surprise. Had someone been arrested? She hadn't heard of any crimes on campus today… Two prison guards stepped out of the bus, taking positions on either side of the door, completely ignoring her, their eyes trained expectantly on the school's main entrance. After a few minutes had passed, they glanced at their watches and frowned at each other, their hands moving slowly towards the tazers on their belts, and Roxanne backed up a bit. The two men were about to charge into the school to apprehend their prisoner when Roxanne heard the school doors open and watched in shock as Megamind strode calmly out of them, now dressed in a bright orange jumpsuit labeled clearly across the back, "Prisoner." She stared at him in a mix of shock and alarm as he cast her a look that read clearly, "I warned you," then watched as he headed straight towards the wary prison guards. "I'm here, I'm here! No need to break out those cursed tazers," he snapped at the men, obediently holding up his wrists for them to slap a pair of handcuffs on him. Now properly restrained, each guard holding a chain connected to his handcuffs, he nodded towards Roxanne. "I have a visitor. Can she ride with us? Or does she need to get her own ride?"

The two guards looked at each other, then broke out laughing. Prisoner or not, Roxanne couldn't help but find the action very rude. "_You_? A visitor?" they taunted him, shoving him roughly towards the bus. "Don't try to trick us, blue boy. We know better than to fall for one of your tricks."

Megamind frowned and huffed, resisting their attempt to get him to board the bus. "It's no trick!" he insisted, his voice a heavy growl. "I swear it! She wants to study with me!"

"Yeah, right," one of the guards snickered, the other laughing as they pushed him so roughly forward he tripped and fell, his overly large skull smacking into the side of the prison bus. The men merely laughed at him. "Better be careful there, Blueberry Head, or that large melon of yours might just get cracked open. Now get on the bus!"

"The name is _Megamind_!" Megamind roared, shaking his head as he got to his feet. "You'd do well to remember it, you mindless drone! Now _back off_! All I'm asking for is one lousy visitor!"

The guards didn't even hesitate. Deciding he was resisting them, their tazers were pulled and shocking him before Roxanne could even realize what was happening to the poor blue convict. His body was spasming out of control as the electrical shock interrupted his nerve control, and he collapsed to the pavement with a strangled yelp. Shocked and horrified into action, as the guards started to reach for Megamind's now limp and unresistant body, Roxanne darted forward, throwing herself protectively over his prone and barely conscious form as she lifted his head into her arms. "What are you _doing_?" she shouted angrily at the men. "He didn't do anything wrong!"

The guards grunted at her, their tazers at the ready in case she tried to make off with their prisoner. "This one's dangerous, Ma'am," they insisted firmly. "An escape artist. He'll try anything to break out. He was resisting us and we had to subdue him. Now if you'll please step aside…"

"I will not!" Roxanne growled at them. "You provoked him, and all he was trying to do was tell you I wanted to study with him tonight! Now are you going to let me visit him? Or am I going to publish an article in the school paper and anywhere else that'll take it tomorrow about the brutality of our so-called justice system?"

The men frowned, but gestured towards the bus. "Fine. Get in. We'll take care of him." Reluctantly releasing her grasp on the blue alien as he began to shake his head, his muscles aching slightly as control began to return to them, Roxanne stepped into the prison bus and took a seat beside where the guards sat Megamind down.

As the big-headed blue prisoner turned a confused eye towards her once he was back in control of his body, Roxanne smiled at him and assured him simply, "Don't worry. I won't let them hurt you." His eyes widened at her, but he said nothing, and Roxanne felt her heart ache as she realized that was possibly the first time anyone had ever said that to him…

"Thank you, Miss Ritchi," Roxanne heard a soft voice speak up from beside her feet, and glanced down to see the strange alien fish Megamind had called Minion looking up at her through big, watery eyes. "Your help is appreciated." As she blinked at him, he jumped up onto the seat beside Megamind and settled down in his lap, his master's green eyes suddenly looking far more sad than she'd ever seen them before. He rested his head against the glass of the window and simply stared out, silent, and Roxanne couldn't help but wonder at the strange contradiction he seemed to make in his orange jumpsuit and handcuffs… Somehow the combination just didn't seem to fit, no matter how much he tried to play the part of the bad boy.

The drive to the prison was a short one, and the warden was waiting for them when they arrived, blinking in surprise as the man spotted Roxanne stepping off the prison bus behind his most volatile prisoner. Megamind was standing tall, his head held high as he strode confidently up to the man and announced, "I have a visitor. She's here to study with me."

The warden laughed and turned a curious eye on the innocent girl standing almost protectively behind Megamind, her eyes growing more and more nervous and curious the closer they got to the prison gates. "Well, young lady, you must have an iron stomach to have the guts to come here, and with our most dangerous prisoner to boot," he remarked as Megamind merely grinned at him. "I'll grant the visitation…" He turned and jabbed an accusatory finger into the center of Megamind's thin chest. "But don't you get any ideas! If you use her visit in _any way_ to cause trouble or facilitate a breakout, your visitation rights will be revoked and we'll pull you out of school faster than you can blink an eye!"

Megamind laughed at him, a deliciously wicked sound, and assured him confidently, "Oh, you don't have to worry about me… I have no intentions of using her to break out of this place. I don't need her for _that_." His grin widened as the warden frowned. "I won't cause any trouble tonight. I guarantee it."

The warden growled under his throat at the blue alien, his eyes anything but trustful as Megamind did his best to look innocent, then snapped to the guards, "Let her in."

"Shall we take them to the visitation room?" one of the men asked, his grip on Megamind's shoulder firm as he prepared to shove him through the prison doors.

The warden considered the suggestion for a moment, noticing the occasional glances Roxanne was casting the blue alien — glances he seemed not to notice at all. "No," he finally determined, instructing them instead, "Take her to his cell and lock them in. If she's here to study, let them study without glass separating them… But keep an eye on them." His eyes grew firm as he stared Megamind right in the eye, ignoring the blue teenager's cocky grin. "If he tries anything… Get her out of there, and render him harmless."

The two guards nodded as Megamind began to chuckle to himself. "Yes, Sir!" they agreed in unison, then shoved Megamind forward as Roxanne followed uncertainly behind, Minion leading the way but keeping an eye on his master.

The trek through the prison to Megamind's cell was anything but comfortable for Roxanne. An all male prison, the felons housed behind its bars grew instantly excited at the sight of a woman — even if she was only a teenager. Blushing deeply as she endured cat-call after cat-call, she almost sighed in relief when she realized they'd finally reached Megamind's cell, the guards waiting until both she and Minion were inside before removing Megamind's handcuffs and throwing him in so hard he stumbled and almost fell. The door slammed shut, the lock sliding into place as Megamind regained his footing, turning and bolting over to the bars to grab onto them as he shouted at the men, "You'll regret treating _me_ so poorly one day soon, you pea-brained buffoons! Soon you'll be _begging_ for mercy from Megamind! You'll see! Just you wait!" He could hear the men laughing at him as they walked away, but he didn't care, breaking out into a sinister laugh as he wringed his hands together in a way that made Roxanne wonder if he was simply biding his time for something…

"Another successful day of scouting, Sir!" Minion complimented his master as Megamind turned towards him, stretching his long, thin arms out in a very relaxed manner.

"It was, wasn't it?" Megamind cackled, practically dancing over to the boom box he kept in his cell and turning it on. Roxanne blinked as the sound of hard rock flooded the small cell, her eyes studying the almost excited blue alien carefully. "What a day!" He turned and eyed Roxanne curiously, the same calculating stare in his eyes he'd shown her when he first heard of her supposed relationship with Metro Dude. "Very interesting indeed…"

Shaking off the strangely unsettling feeling such a gaze inspired in her, Roxanne questioned simply, "Scouting? What do you mean 'scouting?' What are you scouting for?"

Megamind's eyes suddenly grew secretive, plotting, and a rather delighted, evil grin appeared on his lips as he practically purred, "Just a little project of my own… Don't dwell on it. Now…" he folded his hands behind his back as he slipped up close beside her — not too hard to do in his small cell — his eyes almost seductive as he suggested, "You're here to study… So perhaps we should get to it, hmm?"

"Uh… Yeah… Right…" Roxanne stammered awkwardly, but she didn't move from her spot, her eyes slipping over the details of his cell. He didn't have much for decoration, his cell all but bare except for a few meager pieces of furniture — namely the musty cot protruding from the wall and one small desk with a chair in which to sit. He didn't even have a window to look out of… "You, uh… You don't decorate much, do you?" she realized aloud, her tone soft.

Megamind shrugged. "I usually hang up my notes, but the guards recently confiscated them." He chuckled wickedly. "But they didn't get _all_ of them…" He moved to sit down on the edge of his bed, gesturing for her to take the chair at his desk. "Sit down. Relax. I know I don't entertain much, but it's the best I've got."

Roxanne considered replying to this, but before she could, she heard a fresh wave of taunts arise from the prisoners in the cells around Megamind's — this time directed at him. "Ooooh, Megamind's got a girlfriend!" they were teasing.

"The blueberry's getting lucky!" another called out.

"Keep your eye on them, boys! We might get to see something juicy!"

"Go on, Megamind! Kiss her!"

Roxanne blushed, but was surprised to see Megamind's reaction to their cat-calls. It was immediate. Leaping to his feet and charging the bars of his cell like a raging bull, he shouted out to them all, "Shut up you slack-jawed, worthless sacks of meat, or I'll blast you all into kibble and feed you to my fish! Don't think I won't do it!" He chuckled wickedly. "Evil knows no limits! I'll dehydrate the lot of you, and laugh over your shimmering remains!"

Roxanne heard a few snickers, but for the most part, Megamind's threat was well heeded. She stared at him hard as he turned back to her, her eyes studying him carefully as he sat back down and assured her, "They won't bother us again. They wouldn't dare."

"You think you're evil?" Roxanne questioned him carefully, her eyes never leaving his.

Megamind's grin widened as he chuckled softly, spreading his hands in a gesture to suggest the answer was obvious. "Did you honestly think I wasn't? I'm bad to the bone, Baby."

Roxanne blinked at him, her heart suddenly feeling like it was being twisted. Why did the fact he saw himself as evil bother her? It didn't make any sense. How could the man that had looked so supremely sad and lonely on the bus be the same man now proudly proclaiming himself to be bad? Was he truly evil? Was he simply posturing for the sake of the convicts, puffing himself up to be more dangerous than he was to protect himself from them? Or did he honestly believe he was incurably bad, no matter what he did? No matter what the answer, Roxanne realized, the end result was still sad. Here was an incredibly brilliant man, his genius wasted in a prison, and he thought he deserved it. But did he really? "What did you do to get in here? Why are you in prison?" she finally asked the questions burning in her mind. "What was your crime?"

Megamind blinked at her innocently. "Crime?" He glanced to Minion, then shrugged at her. "I committed no crime, at first… I was raised here."

Roxanne dropped her book bag to the ground in shock, her eyes widening at him as she gasped, "You were _raised_ here? In a prison? How? Why?"

Megamind shrugged. "Fate," he answered her simply. "This is where my pod landed when I was an infant. Minion and I have been here ever since." He tilted his head at her in innocent confusion, and her heart broke. "Why do you look so shocked? I warned you I didn't live as you do."

Roxanne shook her head, but she could see in his eyes he would never understand if she tried to explain to him just how much of an outrage it was for an innocent baby — even an alien one — to be raised in a prison by hardened criminals. Sighing heavily, she picked up her backpack and took a seat in the empty chair at his desk, ignoring his confused eyes and the ache in her oddly affected heart as she insisted, "Never mind… Let's just study. Get this over with." Her questions about his relationship with Metro Dude could wait for another day. He'd already given her more information in one night than she was ready to handle. All she wanted now was to immerse herself in textbooks and drown out the confusion in her own mind over what she'd learned about him and how it contrasted with what she had previously seen of him at school. It just didn't make any sense…

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><p>Roxanne had spent a total of two hours studying with Megamind before the prison guards showed up and insisted she leave so Megamind could mop the floors. Thanking him for his help, she had quietly left as the guards shoved a mop in the blue prisoner's hand and shoved him to get him started. As she moved slowly away from him, she could hear him muttering under his breath, and though she couldn't quite catch everything he said, she did manage to catch the phrases, "Soft-headed, brainless insects…" "Bow to my evil genius…" and "Not long now…" She couldn't help but wonder to herself if he really was plotting something, or if he was simply aggravated, frustrated from a life of captivity behind bars — a feeling, she had to admit, she could entirely understand in his situation. Though he proudly puffed himself up and tried to maintain what he felt was an evil exterior, keeping up the bad boy persona as best he could, she had seen him do nothing truly evil all night… In fact, he'd been a perfect gentleman.<p>

As Roxanne lied down on her bed that night, she reflected over the time she'd spent with Megamind in his cell, running through his actions and behaviors in her mind. It had become increasingly obvious to her the more he tried to explain her homework that he was certainly gifted with an incredible intellect she could hardly even fathom. Despite his occasional mispronunciations, he spoke like an experienced scientist, patiently trying to explain calculus equations in terms she could understand, and excitedly elaborating on the importance of their use. A slight grin tugged at Roxanne's lips as she recalled the way his eyes lit up as he ranted about physics and advanced mathematics, their implications to machinery, and overall importance to anything scientific. This was a man who felt — no, who _knew_ — he could build and do anything he dreamed of, providing the science was possible… She had no doubt he was fully capable of creating incredible things. After all, anyone who took one look at Minion's small robotic body would _have_ to admit the sheer brilliance of its creator… What human scientist had ever built anything that could be controlled by the mere thoughts of an alien fish? That was a feat of genius, and only Megamind had done it. She couldn't help but be impressed.

And then there was the whole "bad boy," "criminal" thing… Roxanne shook her head in confusion at the ceiling as she pondered Megamind's situation. He'd been raised by the prison convicts? Could that really be true? It would certainly explain his seeming need to be seen as "bad," if that was all he'd ever known… But it still didn't make any sense when matched up with what she'd seen of his true nature. Somehow or another, she just couldn't see him as dangerous, though the warden and the guards certainly seemed to think otherwise… Was he really as volatile as they thought? Or were they making him out to be worse than he was? After all, they'd been going to school for a week together now, and he had yet to really _earn_ his daily detention sentences in her eyes — though she had heard he'd managed to somehow blow up the chemistry lab, but after everything she'd learned about him tonight, she was willing to bet it had been an accident. Now that she stopped to think of it, Metro Dude _had_ been more than happy to swoop in and drag the poor blue alien frantically trying to put a stop to the destruction to the principal's office for yet another punishment… Had Megamind really deserved that? She shook her head. The pieces to this puzzle just didn't seem to fit.

Ah, Metro Dude… Now that she stopped to think of it, the future hero hadn't taken his eyes off Megamind for a minute since he first laid eyes on him that first day in homeroom. And Megamind hadn't lost track of Metro Dude either… The tension between them was almost palpable, and now that she stopped to think about it, she had seen Megamind frowning at the popular super-powered alien on more than one occasion, subtly trying to keep an eye on him. She wondered suddenly if the "project" Megamind had alluded to in his cell had anything to do with Metro Dude… The bad blood between them was obvious to the entire school. There wasn't a day that went by she didn't hear about some sort of scrape or near-fight that had broken out between the two of them, and the whole school was howling to see Metro Dude pound Megamind into the dirt — something the popular teenage alien didn't seem too opposed to doing. And Megamind made no secret of his distaste for the hero-to-be… Any time Metro Dude's name was mentioned, he frowned and snarled some harsh cut at his obvious rival, flaunting his superior intellect, and vowing to reveal Metro Dude's inferiority one day soon. His confident challenges to the hero-to-be were always laughed at, but he merely grinned at them every time, that patient, plotting look in his eyes she'd seen more than once when he looked at _her_… It was as if he knew a secret they didn't, and was savoring their responses, mentally storing them away for use later…

Roxanne sighed softly, crossing her hands beneath her head as she stared out her window at the twinkling lights of the city beyond. Even if Megamind was plotting something, she couldn't even begin to imagine what. Maybe he wasn't plotting anything at all, the look in his eyes she was assuming to be scheming merely patience… After all, his brilliance would most definitely take him further than any of the other students in the school — if he was ever released from prison to be able to employ it.

Roxanne's eyes softened as she thought back to how Megamind had treated her that night. He'd been the epitome of gentlemanly respect, keeping his distance from her even as he tried to go over calculus equations with her, opening his own textbook to the same page she was on so he could sit a little bit apart from her rather than risk making her uncomfortable by being too close. Only once had his excitement got the better of him, a particular equation inspiring an energy in him that had been almost uncontrollable, and when she'd had difficulty understanding what he was trying to tell her, he'd practically jumped to her side to point it out to her in her own book. As his long, spidery blue fingers had touched the page, they'd accidentally brushed over her hand as well, and he'd frozen for a moment, his emerald eyes locking on hers uncertainly as she'd watched his cheeks turn bright purple in embarrassment. She smiled as she remembered his expression, a mix of shock, embarrassment, and what she could have sworn was breathlessness as he'd waited for her to assure him it was OK before he moved again. He'd drawn back after that, and had been very careful to more closely control his actions. She giggled softly as she realized that for all his bad boy bluster, he was actually rather shy. It was really rather cute.

And speaking of cute, Roxanne couldn't help but notice as she'd sat beside Megamind in his tiny, cramped cell how physically attractive he actually was. Sure, he had blue skin and a big bald head, but his features were actually rather pleasing to the eye. His skin was smooth, and a part of her wondered how soft it was to the touch… With high cheekbones, a sharp nose, and a long, pointed chin, he certainly had quite a striking profile. But best of all, she had to admit, were his eyes… Large and incredibly expressive, brilliantly green, she'd felt herself struck breathless by their gaze more than once that night. Framed by long black eyelashes, his eyes broadcasted his emotions almost as effectively as his highly dramatic body language did, if not more so. What she had found in them was a depth of emotion as complex as any human's, if not even more pronounced. Megamind was certainly not opposed to expressing his emotions, showing her a variety of them in that one visit alone. She'd seen him display anger towards the other convicts, frustration, intense excitement… She'd even seen sadness in his eyes on the bus, though he'd never spoken a word of it out loud. This was a man who wore his emotions on his sleeve, caring little for who saw them or what they thought of him for it. It was a characteristic of his Roxanne couldn't help but find appealing…

Metro Dude was different, Roxanne realized, her thoughts turning to the soon-to-be-hero as she recalled the disgust in Megamind's eyes at the mention of his name. Now that she thought about it, Metro Dude almost seemed fake, a suave, debonair, heroic grin plastered to his face as though it couldn't be removed. His over-the-top showmanship was the only side of him he ever showed to anyone — with the exception of Megamind. The thin blue alien seemed to be the only life form on the planet that could make him frown. Even so, Metro Dude fastidiously maintained his heroic, untouchable, invulnerable exterior, consistently giving off the impression that nothing could shake or hurt him — either physically or emotionally. Roxanne tried to recall a time she'd seen Metro Dude upset over something, _anything_, but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't recall a time when he _hadn't_ been flashing her that overly-charming grin of his that always made the other girls swoon, but not her. She liked a genuine smile… Perhaps that was one reason she'd never been attracted to Metro Dude. He was simply far too "perfect" to an extent that was almost phony.

But Megamind? He didn't hit her as phony at all. Roxanne could feel a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she pondered the strange blue alien's eccentricities. Extremely brilliant, energetic, and emotional, there wasn't anything about him that seemed fake… With the exception of the bad boy persona he seemed determined to maintain. She still couldn't fathom that part. For a self-proclaimed "evil genius," he seemed almost harmless to her… How could he have possibly earned the reputation of being dangerous that seemed to follow him everywhere he went like a shadow? He'd been nothing but kind to her…

Roxanne sighed and determinedly shut her eyes, pulling her blankets up over her shoulders as she tried to force her mind to shut down and go to sleep. She couldn't understand for the life of her what the strange emotions she was feeling towards the strange blue alien were, or why she couldn't seem to stop thinking about him. Megamind had certainly thrown a few surprise punches at her this evening, but rather than scaring her away, she found herself even more intrigued, determined to find out more about him. She would simply have to catch him again tomorrow.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: No warnings for today's chapter. It's rated G. Enjoy! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 5**

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><p>Roxanne smiled at Megamind as he sauntered into homeroom the following morning, but the blue teenager didn't seem to notice her at first. There was a smug grin on his lips as he strode straight over to Metro Dude and taunted him, laughing, "Do you know where your girlfriend was last night, <em>Metro Man<em>?"

Roxanne blushed and swallowed hard as she realized Megamind was using her visit to try to humiliate the future hero in front of the whole class. Metro Dude frowned at him and growled softly, "It's Metro _Dude_, Megamind, and Miss Ritchi's whereabouts are her own business, not yours!"

Megamind broke out laughing in a deliciously evil manner, casting Roxanne a sly grin from the corners of his eyes before focusing back on his rival. "Oh, but I think it _is_ my business! But I can keep a secret…" He placed his hands on Metro Dude's desk, leaning over it to look the other alien right in the eye as he smirked, "I have many secrets… Can you guess them, Metro _Man_?"

"Whatever they are, I'm willing to bet they're no good," Metro Dude insisted, rising to his feet to face the shorter blue teenager bent on keeping eye contact with him. "Just like you. And the name is…"

"Call yourself what you like, Metro _Man_, but I won't have my rivalry with you cheapened by an immature title," Megamind insisted firmly, straightening and folding his hands over his chest. "Or perhaps your puny brain is still too underdeveloped to fathom the difference between a man and a boy?"

"Justice can fathom anything," Metro Dude countered, his eyes cool.

Megamind's grin widened. "Then perhaps it can fathom the need to grow up," he practically purred at the super-powered man practically towering above him. He waved his hand dismissively at the teenager, calling amusedly over his shoulder to him, "Perhaps when you've matured you'll be a match for me… Call me when you become a _man_." Metro Dude was fuming as Megamind finally took his seat, laughing almost maniacally in delight before casting Roxanne a knowing grin. Licking his lips before leaning towards her, he smirked, his voice loud enough so only she could hear, "Did you tell him where you were last night? Or does he still not know?"

Roxanne stared at him in confusion, denying firmly, "I haven't told him. It's none of his business…"

Megamind broke out laughing, relaxing in his chair in absolute delight as he cast a wicked smirk in Metro Dude's direction. "Oh, this is just too good!" His gaze shifted back to her as he studied her closely, the same calculating look in his eye that always seemed to unnerve her as he grinned, "So Mr. Goody-Two-Shoes doesn't even know what his girlfriend is doing behind his back… How interesting…"

Roxanne's heart constricted as Megamind once again expressed a belief in her rumored relationship to the popular hero, but before she could say anything to deny it, watching the plotting look in his eyes intensify as his grin widened in secretive delight, the teacher called the class to order. Megamind was chuckling softly to himself as Mrs. Green started to take roll call, and she could almost see the gears turning in his over-large brain, storing information away as he studied Metro Dude's back with intense focus. One way or another, she had to get to the bottom of his rivalry with the super-powered alien…

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><p>Try as she could, Roxanne couldn't catch Megamind after any of her classes. He was simply too quick for her that day.<p>

Sighing to herself as she brought her bagged lunch to one of the cafeteria tables to eat, Roxanne's eyes scanned over the crowd, trying to spot the only blue-skinned student in the school. She didn't see him, and she knew she wouldn't. Megamind was never to be found in large crowds. He simply wasn't comfortable in them; not that he was ever welcome in them either. She was just settling down to bite into her ham and cheese sandwich when she suddenly heard an explosion sound from a room nearby and looked up to see the door to the nearest chemistry lab open, Megamind rushing out of it and gasping for air as a cloud of dark blue smoke followed him.

As the smoke billowed out into the hall and headed towards the cafeteria, Roxanne leapt to her feet as the other students began to cry out in a panic, Megamind straightening and waving his arms dramatically in an effort to calm them down. "No! It's all right! It's not poisonous!" he was crying, his eyes flicking towards the open lab door. "It just… smells bad! Minion! Haven't you got those windows open yet?" He took a deep breath, then darted back inside the room…

Just to be caught two seconds later by an overzealous and overly eager Metro Dude.

Roxanne almost frowned as she watched Metro Dude swoop in and drag Megamind away from the chemistry lab, using his super-powered lungs to blow all of the smoke out of the open windows. Megamind was snarling at him as he held him off the ground by his collar, his long, thin fingers clawing at the man's unbreakable grip as Metro Dude taunted him, "You'll never learn, will you? You just can't stop being bad."

Megamind growled at him, still struggling to break free, "I don't have to answer to you, you puny-minded buffoon! Let me go! I did nothing wrong!"

"Tell it to the principal," Metro Dude smirked, grinning at the struggling blue alien being held tightly in his grasp. "Two explosions in one week… You'll likely be suspended for this — if not expelled."

Roxanne moved to race over to Megamind's aid, but before she could even take one step, Metro Dude was already flying down the hall, dragging the angry thin teenager with him. As she watched him turn a corner on his way to the principal's office, she could hear Megamind shouting in outrage, "Let me go! I can explain, you dumb brute! I swear, I'll make you pay!" Roxanne frowned in the direction they'd gone, unable to help but feel bad for Megamind as she wondered what had _really_ happened — and if the principal would even bother to listen to it. Reluctantly sitting back down at the table to eat her lunch, she determined to catch up with the blue alien in their next class together and ask him about it.

* * *

><p>Megamind didn't come to his advanced biology class, much to Roxanne's dismay. In fact, he didn't appear in any of his classes for the rest of the day.<p>

Concerned, frustrated, and downright aggravated, as soon as the final bell rang for the day, Roxanne headed straight over to Metro Dude, her eyes stern as she demanded, interrupting his latest flirting session with the high school cheerleaders, "Metro Dude! Where is Megamind? He hasn't been in any of his classes, and I saw you drag him off to the principal's office earlier."

Metro Dude cocked a curious eyebrow at the agitated future reporter, but as the cheerleaders hurried off to give them some privacy, he flashed her his most suave grin and assured her happily, "Oh, don't you worry about _him_. That little troublemaker got what he deserved — a day's suspension. He should be back tomorrow — if they let him return at all."

"_Suspended_?" Roxanne gasped, repeating the word in disbelief. "For what? What did he do?"

"He blew up the chemistry lab," Metro Dude patiently explained, confused by her apparent concern for what he felt was nothing more than a no-good criminal. "And it's not the first time, either."

"Did you even ask him _why_?" Roxanne questioned. "Did you ask him how it happened?"

Metro Dude actually _laughed_ at this, seeming to find the suggestion amusing. "Roxy, the boy is no good," he insisted, squeezing her shoulders in what was supposed to be a reassuring manner — though it only seemed to make her even more upset. "He's a troublemaker. Always has been. Don't worry! Justice has been served, and rightly so. Now, what do you say we go get a soda and forget about all of this nonsense, hmm?"

Roxanne shook her head, firmly backing out of Metro Dude's grip as she refused, "No, I have some work to do. Maybe another time." Without another word to the confused hero-to-be, she turned and hurried to the parking lot, leaping into her car and starting the ignition. She would get to the bottom of this story one way or another… And she would start with Megamind.

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><p>When Roxanne arrived at the Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted asking to see Megamind, she was rather unnerved to find her request denied. Demanding an explanation, the warden was called to handle the situation. "Well, hello again," the older man greeted her as he arrived at the prison gate to speak with her. "I must admit, I'm shocked to see you here. I'd have thought your prior visit would have been your last."<p>

Roxanne merely smirked at the man. "As a future reporter, Warden, I'm not so easily intimidated," she insisted, attempting to appear her strongest before him. "I'm here to see Megamind."

The warden firmly shook his head. "I'm sorry, Miss, but I'm afraid that's not possible," he refused. "Megamind has been transferred to the isolation unit for the day and is in solitary confinement. Visitors are not permitted."

"Solitary confinement?" Roxanne repeated, shocked. "What for?"

"In case you don't already know, it seems he caused some damage to the school today," the warden explained patiently. "He's been suspended, and is being punished for his crimes."

"Crimes? Did anyone even bother to ask him how the explosion happened?" Roxanne shouted indignantly. She huffed and demanded sternly, "I doubt _anyone_ has even tried to listen to _his_ side of the story, and I demand the chance to hear it from him myself. Just give me a few minutes with him. I want to know what happened."

The warden frowned and studied her closely, then finally gave in, "All right, you can speak with him through the door, but only briefly. The whole purpose of solitary confinement is isolation; your visit will disrupt that, but I'll permit it just this once. Follow me."

Roxanne followed the warden in silence through the halls of the prison complex to a wing entirely different than the one she'd been shown before. This one was entirely secluded, the security tighter, and when she finally saw the large metal door that acted as the entrance to Megamind's cell, its only window covered by a large metal iris that was currently clamped shut, she couldn't help but shake her head. All this security for Megamind? Really? Was he seriously that dangerous? There was even a guard posted outside his cell to keep an eye on him. Megamind, she realized, was now under 24-hour constant surveillance…

The guard was reading a newspaper as the two arrived, and the warden smacked him on the head with his own, snapping at the man, "Read on your own time! Open up!" Scrambling to recover himself, the guard tossed his paper aside and quickly pressed a button that opened the iris over the steel door's round window.

Roxanne blinked as the warden glanced inside and instantly grew alarmed. The cell was empty!

The warden was only seconds away from ordering the cell to be opened and searched when Megamind leapt up from beneath the window, pressing his face to the glass as he playfully cried, "Boo!"

"Megamind!" the warden growled his name, but the blue alien was laughing hysterically and paid no attention to the anger in the man's voice.

"Good afternoon, warden!" Megamind greeted the man as he leapt back into the spinning chair in the center of the sickeningly decorated room, his eyes laughing as he stretched out carelessly. "Come to scold me again? You know, I love our little chats, but I'm really far too busy for it right now. Maybe another time?"

"You'd better watch yourself, Megamind, or the next time you won't be allowed to go back to school," the warden warned him. "In any case, I brought someone who wants to see you about your little offence earlier." And he stepped aside to reveal Roxanne.

"Miss Ritchi!" Megamind gasped in surprise, his eyes widening as he leapt to his feet to face her. He blinked at her for a second, then turned a very wary eye on the warden. "Wait… Why is she here? I'm not permitted visitors… What are you trying to pull, Warden? Do you think you'll get something more out of me?" He grinned rather slyly, chuckling wickedly to himself. "You'll be sorely disappointed, I assure you…"

The warden rolled his eyes at him. "She insisted on seeing you, and I can't deny a future reporter her right to an interview with our most dangerous villain, that is all. You have five minutes. Make them count."

"Interview?" Megamind repeated the word warily, moving closer to the window as the warden moved a few feet away. He turned a cautious eye to Roxanne, studying her carefully. "Well, Miss Ritchi, it seems I have no choice but to suffer through this 'interview' of yours then, though I don't promise you I'll answer all your questions."

Roxanne snickered softly. "Actually, 'interview' was the warden's choice of words, Megamind, not mine. And call me Roxanne."

Megamind chuckled almost wickedly, sauntering over to the door to look out the window at her. "Are you telling me, Miss Ritchi, that you aren't here to write a story about me for the _shool_ paper? 'Bad Boy Blows Up Chemistry Lab, Spends Night in Isolation?' Nothing like that?"

Roxanne shook her head. "No, and if I did write anything, I'd like to think I could title it something more along the lines of, 'Chemistry Lab Explosion Explained.'" She looked him seriously in the eye as he seemed to consider her closely and asked, "What _really_ happened in that lab today, Megamind? What caused the explosion? Was it intentional? Or an accident?"

"Why do you care?" Megamind demanded sharply, frowning slightly. "I'm the bad guy. No one cares what I have to say."

"_I_ do," Roxanne countered and he blinked, that same shocked, awestruck expression creeping into his eyes she'd seen the night before on the bus when she'd told him she'd protect him. Her heart ached as she realized he honestly felt as though no one cared for him… "And I want to know the truth."

Megamind was silent for a moment, studying her closely, then finally informed her softly, "The explosion wasn't my fault, Miss Ritchi. Not that anyone cares about that. Those foolish, slow-witted buffoons pranked me. I went into the lab to experiment with a new formula I've created, something that will be rather useful to me in the future, but the students in the prior class switched the chemicals on me. I reached for one and got another." He frowned, looking her right in the eye. "The unexpected mixture caused the explosion, not me, and not my formula. I couldn't stop the reaction once it started. Believe me, I tried."

"Yes, I remember you running out of the lab and trying to clean up the mess on your own…" Roxanne nodded. His explanation made perfect sense…

"Yeah, until your _boyfriend_ decided to show up and cart me off to the principal's office," Megamind hissed, his eyes ice cold. "Thanks to him, I missed out on the rest of the day and almost got expelled! Do you _know_ how hard I had to work to be able to go to _shool_ in the first place? That thick-headed numbskull almost ruined everything!"

Roxanne was about to reply, but before she could, the warden stepped in and informed them both curtly, "I'm afraid that's all the time you get." Turning to Megamind he practically grinned at the frowning alien. "Sorry, Megamind, but you know the rules." At a signal from him, the steel iris clamped shut over the window, blocking Megamind from view as Roxanne sighed and turned to follow the warden back out of the prison. The rest of her questions would simply have to wait for tomorrow. After all, she knew she'd get nothing out of Metro Dude…


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: No warnings for this chapter! Enjoy! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 6**

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><p>The following morning saw a return of the blue-skinned, self-proclaimed "bad boy" to the Metro High campus, and of course, the first thing he did was rub it in Metro Dude's face. "I told you you couldn't get rid of me so easily, Metro <em>Man<em>," he sneered at the alien in delight.

"I'm surprised they allowed you to come back, but it's only a matter of time," Metro Dude countered confidently. "They always take out the _trash_."

Megamind grinned at him and shot right back, "Well, we'll just see what makes up _trash_, now won't we?" Laughing wickedly to himself, he sauntered past the wary hero to take his seat beside Roxanne. "Ah, Miss Ritchi… We meet again," he practically purred at her, his tone almost seductive as she felt a shiver of an unknown emotion run down her spine. "Did you tell Metro Man you came to see me _again_ yesterday?"

"No," Roxanne denied, but before she could elaborate any further on _why_ she hadn't, Mrs. Green began to take roll call as Megamind grinned to himself, chuckling in delight. She huffed slightly in frustration. Was she _ever_ going to get the chance to tell him she was not romantically involved with Metro Dude?

* * *

><p>That morning, the Homecoming dance was finally announced.<p>

Scheduled for a week from that Saturday, the school was suddenly a buzz of excitement as students scrambled to find dates for the dance. No one wanted to go to Homecoming alone, and the halls were packed with teenage boys trying to find and ask their dream girl to go with them. Roxanne merely maneuvered her way between them, attempting to become invisible as the rumors about her and Metro Dude going together intensified. She dreaded what she knew was coming…

And then she saw it: that overly charming, debonair smile.

"Hello, Roxy!" Metro Dude greeted her, stepping out of the crowd of students to walk beside her.

Roxanne's heart sank. "Hello, Metro Dude," she greeted him back warily. She knew what he had come for…

"So I'm sure you've heard about the Homecoming dance being scheduled for next Saturday," Metro Dude remarked, and Roxanne tried not to groan. Here it came… "Are you excited?"

"Of course," Roxanne nodded, trying her best to smile at him. "Aren't we all?"

"Naturally," Metro Dude chuckled, then cleared his throat. "Have you… found a date yet?"

Roxanne shook her head. "No. Not yet."

Metro Man puffed out his chest to look his most heroic — as if it were even hard for him — then suggested gently, "I know we're only friends, but the rumors will only get worse if we don't go together. You don't have a date, and I'm not currently seeing anyone in particular… What would you think of going to the Homecoming dance with me?"

Try as she could, Roxanne simply could not suppress a slight groan. "What ever happened to your promise not to ask me?"

Metro Dude chuckled sheepishly, scratching his head in an awkward kind of way. "I promised not to ask you to the prom… This is Homecoming," he pointed out innocently, then cast her his most pleading look as he blocked her path to stop her from walking, taking her hands in his. "Listen, Roxy… We've been friends for years now. You know I would never ask you to do anything that made you uncomfortable, but these rumors are putting a lot of pressure on me… I'm not asking for a real date or anything, just a promise you'll go with me if you don't find someone else."

Roxanne sighed heavily as she considered his suggestion, his soft blue eyes pleading with hers as she realized people around them were beginning to stop and whisper as they watched every action the two made. It was true she didn't have a date for the dance… And it was also true that she had no idea who she should go with. Like everyone else, she really didn't want to go to the Homecoming dance alone. Could it really hurt to have a backup plan in case she couldn't find anyone else? After all, everyone thought they were going together anyway… "All right, Metro Dude, if I can't find anyone else, I'll go with you," she finally caved. His smile instantly brightened.

"Great!" Metro Dude exclaimed, casting her his most charming grin. "You won't regret this, I promise." Roxanne just shook her head and went on her way to her next class.

* * *

><p>When lunchtime rolled around, eager to escape the squealing throngs of teenage girls trying to congratulate her on snagging the most desired man in school for her Homecoming date, Roxanne took her lunch and headed outside to eat there instead. The sun was shining high in the sky, only a few lazy clouds drifting by to mask its brilliance. She smiled at the sound of birds chirping in the trees, a butterfly flitting past her to land on a nearby flower. It was a lovely day, everything and everyone in it seeming to be smiling… Except for one.<p>

Megamind.

Roxanne blinked as she spotted the blue teenager perching on a tree branch, high enough off the ground to escape the notice of any rogue bullies as she realized he'd been watching her. Whereas everyone else seemed excited about the Homecoming dance, Megamind seemed almost sad… Her heart broke as he stood, turned his back to her, and leapt out of the tree to walk away, Minion following close on his heels. "Hey, wait!" Roxanne shouted at him, hurrying to catch up with him.

"What do you want?" Megamind almost growled at her, and she could hear the loneliness in his voice.

Roxanne blinked at him, then pointed out, "Some greeting… You seem blue." He turned an unamused eye on her, and she shrugged. "You _know_ what I mean. Is something on your mind?"

"Something's _always_ on my mind," Megamind insisted coolly. He cast her a sharp glance. "Shouldn't you be with Metro Man planning your big day? I heard the two of you are going to the Homecoming dance together."

"You heard wrong," Roxanne insisted firmly. He blinked at her and she stopped in her tracks, grabbing his arm to force him to face her. "Listen, there's something I've been meaning to tell you, but simply haven't had the chance… Metro Dude and I _aren't_ dating."

Megamind fixed her with a very doubtful gaze. "Yeah. Right. It's all over _shool_…"

Roxanne groaned loudly and he blinked at her in surprise. "They're _rumors_, Megamind, nothing more! Metro Dude just isn't my type."

Megamind didn't appear convinced. "Then why are you going to the Homecoming dance with him?" he questioned almost sarcastically.

Roxanne shook her head as she rested her forehead in her hand. "I'm not!" she denied. "Well, I might… Oh, I don't know! I _only_ agreed to go with him if I can't find someone else to go with!" She sighed, her shoulders sagging as she admitted, "Only problem is I don't know who I would go with, if not for him… So I'll probably get stuck going with him after all."

Megamind studied her closely for a moment, that same calculating look in his eyes, then suggested with a shrug, "Well, you _know_ what you can do about it then, don't you?"

"What?" Roxanne asked innocently. She was completely unprepared for what he did next.

Grinning in an almost alluring manner, Megamind slipped in a bit closer to her, leaning in so close she could feel his breath on her lips as he suggested seriously, "Go with _me_."

Roxanne blushed as she stumbled back a step, gasping in surprise, "Go with _you_? Are you serious?" Why was her heart pounding in her chest?

Megamind's cheeks were slightly purple, his eyes anxious as he chuckled, nodding. "Of course! It's the perfect solution!" He broke out laughing in a very evil manner, his gestures growing far more animated as he insisted, wandering a few steps away, "You don't have a date, I certainly don't, and you want to get away from Metro Man, right? So go with me! It'd be perfect! You get your wish, and I get to laugh in Metro Man's face as the whole _shool_ sees the heroine with the villain! It's _perfect_!" He was practically giddy with excitement as he moved back to her side, assuring her eagerly, "I can't offer you a limo, Miss Ritchi, but I _can_ promise you a night you'll never forget! Who else here can promise you _that_?"

Roxanne studied his bright green eyes closely, noting the tense, almost anxious posture of his shoulders in contrast with the quickened, excited rate of his breathing. He was hanging on her answer, waiting for it with baited breath, and she had to admit — he had a point. Despite his seeming obsession with seeing himself as a "villain," he'd probably be a lot more fun to bring to Homecoming than the show-off of a friend everyone expected her to go with, and certainly more intellectual. And there definitely was no better way to show the school her lack of romantic interest in the future hero than by dating his rival… Though that in itself could spark a whole _new_ slew of rumors she wasn't quite sure she wanted to hear. Even so, her heart was doing strange things in her chest as she stared into his eyes — those beautiful, emerald orbs that always seemed to steal her breath away, and as she found herself suddenly wondering what his lips would taste like, she suddenly knew: she liked him. She was falling for Megamind. This energetic, self-proclaimed evil genius had somehow or another managed to steal her heart… And was now dangling an offer in front of her nose she was finding very hard to refuse. She let her eyes slip once down his incredibly thin body, then asked simply, "Can you dance?"

Megamind broke out laughing as if the question were a foolish one, his grin widening as he assured her, "Like a bat out of Hell, Miss Ritchi. Your boyfriend may have his super-powers, but I could still dance circles around him!"

Roxanne giggled at his obvious confidence, curious to see if his claim was true or mere bravado to impress her. She suspected it was the former; after all, she had noticed he seemed to have a penchant for busting a few moves in his cramped cell if he was in a good mood — though he'd always restrained himself in front of her, restricting his energy to a simple skip or two of his feet or a wild gesture of his hand. He was probably a lot more expressive when alone… "Why do I get the feeling you have an ulterior motive for asking me to the dance?" she asked him curiously, her eyes locked on his.

Megamind's grin only widened. "Even if I do, it changes nothing for you, does it? You want to avoid going to Homecoming with Metro Man, and I want to crush him like the insignificant little insect he is! It's win-win!"

Roxanne couldn't help but chuckle at him, shaking her head as she finally got to ask, "What is it with you and Metro Dude? Why all the animosity?"

Megamind merely shrugged, brushing away the question with a simple wave of his hand. "Isn't it obvious? He's good; I'm evil. It's destiny that we be rivals! Now… Homecoming? What do you say?"

He hadn't answered her question the way she had hoped, but Roxanne could tell Megamind was far too excited to focus on serious questions at the moment. Allowing her eyes to slip one last time over his body in an appraising manner, soaking in the details of his black leather spiked accessories and black attire, she asked one final question before she could make her decision. "You're not going to wear _that_, are you?"

Megamind broke out laughing, shaking his big head as he assured her, "To the _Homecoming dance_? No, no! I have something far more… _impressive_ in mind! You'll see!"

Roxanne had to admit, she _wanted_ to see. "All right, Megamind. I'll go with you," she agreed at last.

"Yes!" Megamind cried in excitement, pumping his fist in the air as if in victory. "Oh, I can't _wait_ to see the look on Metro Man's face when you show up with _me_! This is going to be _great_!" He straightened himself up and asked her seriously, "Pick you up at 7:00?"

Roxanne blinked at him. "The prison bus will pick me up?"

Megamind shook his head, a sly grin appearing on his lips as he assured her cryptically, "Oh, no, I have my own methods… You don't need to worry about that. We'll be arriving in _style_, I assure you."

Now Roxanne was terribly curious. "Methods?" she repeated, eyeing him closely. "What kind of 'methods?' You live in a _prison_, don't you?"

Megamind merely straightened himself up, shaking a finger in front of her nose as if scolding an impatient puppy. "Ah, ah, ah! I'm not going to spoil the surprise! Now you get eating your lunch before the bell rings and you end up in detention with me, and I'm going to go take care of a little business… Until next time, Miss Ritchi!" Without another word, he hurried off, laughing to himself, Minion chasing after him close behind. Giggling softly, Roxanne couldn't help but feel both excited and intrigued at the prospect of taking such an obviously eccentric and unpredictable man as her date to the Homecoming dance. This would certainly be a night to remember.

* * *

><p>Roxanne informed Metro Dude she would not be going with him before the lunch hour was over. He had nodded in understanding, smiled at her as always, then flown off to find a date of his own from among the swooning throng of his fans. There wasn't anything that could keep him down; though Roxanne couldn't help but wonder how he would react to the sight of Megamind walking into the Homecoming dance with her on his arm…<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: This chapter of Just Another School Year is ENTIRELY NEW! :D From here on out, with the exception of much of tomorrow's chapter, most of what you'll be reading is _completely new content_! Aren't you excited? I know I am! I hope you guys like it! *Crosses fingers* Just a small note: I don't believe Megamind would support sports, especially if Metro Man is playing in them, so I hope this doesn't offend anyone in any way. He feels very strongly about the subject, obviously, having been pelted by dodge balls and such. He's more interested in _other_ pastimes... ;P Enjoy! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 7**

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><p>The days were passing by almost too quickly as Roxanne attempted to get ready for the Homecoming dance. She had gone to every dress store at least twice, if not three times, and had finally picked the perfect dress — a lovely purple gown made of shimmering silk she thought would complement the faint blush of Megamind's cheeks perfectly. Low cut in front with an open back, she hoped it would wow him enough to strike him speechless. She'd shopped for shoes to go with it, bought the perfect jewelry, coordinated makeup, gone through every possible method of styling her short hair she could think of… And still she couldn't help but feel unprepared. If only she knew what Megamind was planning, then maybe she could coordinate her outfit to better match his or something… But the blue teenager was firmly tight-lipped on the subject. "I told you, I'm not ruining the surprise!" he had insisted when she'd paid him a study visit one night in the hopes of squeezing information out of him. "You're just going to have to be patient! You'll see soon enough!" And without giving up another word on the subject, he'd shoved her book at her and insisted she study, though she could see him occasionally sharing conspiratorial glances with Minion.<p>

* * *

><p>The Friday before the Homecoming dance was a buzz of excitement around school as students from every grade prepared for their football team's first game of the season, scheduled for that night. Banners had been hung all over the school building, the team name of the "Metro High Cougars" on display everywhere the eye could see. The football team paraded through the halls in team jackets, Metro Dude in the lead encouraging the already over-stimulated students to erupt into spirited cheers and chants, hyping them up in anticipation of the night's big game. Everyone was dressed in the school's colors of white and gold in support of the home team, showing off their school pride. Everyone was overwhelmed with school spirit… Everyone, that is, except Megamind.<p>

Roxanne had been only slightly surprised to find that the charismatic blue teenager refused to conform to the usual conventions every other student followed — including wearing the school colors. He had sauntered into homeroom that morning in his usual black, frowning at the white-garbed throngs of excited students around him and ignoring their cruel taunts for daring to show up in black on a day everyone else felt belonged only to white and gold. She had been grateful to see that Metro Dude had refrained from teasing his rival as the others did, but he _had_ smirked and chuckled, shaking his head in Megamind's direction. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the blue alien… He never could seem to catch a break… "Just ignore them," she found herself whispering to him before Mrs. Green could start taking attendance. He had blinked and looked her in the eye, his vivid green eyes uncertain and anxious about the tension in the air around him. She smiled at him and assured him calmly, confidently, "You look fine. Not everyone has to conform to the same mold. Just be yourself, and don't let them get to you."

Megamind's eyes had flooded with surprised awe as he stared at her, obviously stunned to have heard her show support for his choice of attire. "Miss Ritchi…" he began to speak breathlessly, but before he could say anything further, the teacher began taking roll call. Unable to finish his sentence, he had merely smiled at her softly instead, his cheeks flushing purple, then turned his attention to the notebook in front of him to scribble furiously on its pages. Roxanne smiled to herself as she tried to focus her attention on the day's agenda as well. She loved making him smile… And every time he blushed, her heart skipped a beat. She would have to catch up with him later.

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><p>With school spirit running so high and every jock in the building even rowdier than usual, Roxanne was not surprised to find Megamind bailing from his classes even quicker than normal, sometimes even before the bell rang to release the students from their seats. With so many unfriendly eyes pointed at him, his black clothing making him stand out in a sea of white and gold, moving faster than anyone else was the blue teenager's only hope of avoiding being turned into someone's punching bag. For once Roxanne was glad to find she wasn't able to catch him after any of his classes; it meant no one else could either. She hoped he could make it through the day without being caught in too many scrapes… She had come to realize that contrary to popular belief, Megamind very rarely picked the fights he got into; he merely fought back when cornered. She hoped he could avoid being cornered today…<p>

When lunchtime rolled around, Roxanne determined to use the time to find Megamind. The school's only blue-skinned student had an uncanny ability to disappear from sight when he didn't want anyone to find him, but she knew he had to be around somewhere. Checking the chemistry lab to find it empty, she paused as she closed the door behind her, trying hard to think of where he might have gone. She could spend the entire hour looking in every classroom in the building and still not find him. She had to approach this logically. He wasn't in the chemistry lab, or at least not in this one… He'd been flighty all day, constantly dodging jocks who would have loved nothing more than to pound him into the cement… As her eyes strayed to the window looking out over the courtyard, it suddenly hit her: Megamind would not be inside. Not today. With the students seeming to feel especially abusive towards him today, Roxanne knew the new resident "bad boy" wouldn't be caught dead inside the building. There was more hope of escape outside if he was spotted. With this in mind, Roxanne took her bagged lunch and headed outside, certain she would find him there.

Her suspicions had been spot on.

It had taken her a few minutes to find him, but Roxanne finally spotted Megamind resting on a branch high up in an oak tree, mostly obscured by its many green leaves, some tinged orange as the season progressed steadily into fall. She hadn't seen him at first, but his blue skin was a dead giveaway, betraying him to her sharp eyes as she spotted Minion sitting in front of him on the same branch. Megamind was busily writing in his notebook, talking softly to the strangely intelligent fish in a robotic monkey suit, and Roxanne smiled as she drew near. Moving to stand almost directly below him, she greeted him warmly, "So _this_ is where you've been hiding!"

Startled, Megamind jumped at the sound of her voice, then yelped as he lost his balance, tumbling unceremoniously out of the tree to crash head-first into the ground with an unceremonious thud and a loud howl. "Ow!"

Rushing over to his side in concern, Roxanne knelt down beside him and rested her hand on his shoulder as she cried, "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to startle you! Are you all right?"

Megamind groaned as he dragged himself up onto his hands and knees, shaking his overly-large head before resting a hand on his forehead. His face was flushed a deep violet in embarrassment, his voice shaking as he insisted, "I'm fine… Oh, that hurt…"

"Here, let me help you," Roxanne insisted, and watching his cheeks turn an even deeper shade of purple, she wrapped his arm around her shoulder as she wrapped hers around his, hoisting him up until he was on his feet. Carefully helping him walk a few paces until they reached the tree trunk, she gently guided him to sit down, then drew back to look into his breathless eyes as she asked, "Are you sure you're all right, Megamind? I could go get the nurse for you… Maybe she should check you out, make sure nothing's broken…"

"No… No, that won't be necessary," Megamind insisted, shifting his aching body until he was in a more comfortable position. Minion quickly scurried down the tree, his eyes wide and concerned, and the blue teenager had to brush him aside to get him to stop fussing over him.

"Megamind, that was quite a nasty fall…" Roxanne insisted, but he merely shook his head.

"I'm _fine_," Megamind insisted firmly. He sighed softly, relaxing back against the tree as he explained, "My biology's slightly different than yours, Miss Ritchi. I'm much tougher than I look. Trust me, I am unharmed."

Roxanne studied him for a moment, her eyes scanning over his incredibly thin frame. It was hard to believe that a body so deceptively frail could be so tough, but she supposed it was possible… "Fine, I won't get the nurse, but here, drink this." She pulled a can of green tea from her lunch bag and pressed it into his blue hand. He frowned at it and she insisted firmly, "It's healthy and full of good things. Tough or not, you just fell out of a _tree_. If nothing else, it'll soothe your nerves."

Megamind shook his head and tried to pass the drink back to her. "No," he refused gently. "I'm not going to take your drink away from you. That's _your_ lunch; you eat it. I'm fine."

Roxanne merely smirked at him, and opening the can, she passed it back to him, insisting, "Drink it, or I'll get the nurse. Take your pick."

Megamind chuckled, then gave in, sneering at her, "You drive a hard bargain, Miss Ritchi… But have it your way." He took a long sip of the tea and sighed in delight. "Mmm… Not bad…" Blinking at her, he gestured towards her lunch bag. "Shouldn't you go eat?"

Roxanne smiled and sat down beside him as his cheeks colored once more. "I'm going to eat with you today," she informed him softly. He stared at her hard and she admitted, "I was looking for you."

Megamind relaxed back against the tree, though his eyes were beginning to roam as he checked to make sure no one had spotted him yet. "Why?" he questioned softly, then smirked at her as he taunted her, "If you're looking for details on what I have planned for tomorrow, I already told you you'll have to wait!"

Roxanne laughed, her eyes shining as they gazed into his. His vivid green eyes were secretive, but excited, and she knew he was looking forward to the Homecoming dance just as much as she was. "No, no, I gave up on squeezing information out of you days ago… You can be awfully stubborn about keeping your secrets." He laughed and grinned at her mischievously, and she giggled. "No, I just wanted to talk to you. Are you coming to the game tonight?"

Megamind firmly shook his head. "No."

"I had a feeling you'd say that," Roxanne admitted. It made perfect sense… He refused to support a team comprised of the very people that bullied him every day, and though she admittedly didn't understand his apparent rivalry with Metro Dude, she could easily understand his refusal to go to his games. "I can't say I blame you… But it is a shame." He blinked at her and she suggested gently, "I have to attend so I can write an article for the school paper… If you were to go, we could sit together." His cheeks colored softly and she smiled at him. "I'd love to get your viewpoint on the game… It'd be an interesting counterpoint to contrast with popular opinion in my article."

Megamind snickered wickedly, then retorted, "If you want my viewpoint, Miss Ritchi, I'll give it to you now: This 'football' game of yours is a useless pastime to entertain mindless masses, and serves no purpose but to elevate the brainless thugs that play it above those of us with the brainpower to rule the world. It glorifies the undeserving and minimizes the importance of the things that truly matter, like _intelligence_. My time is better spent in a lab, not on some _bleat-cher_ cheering on some dumb jock who just happens to be able to throw a ball. And I will _never_ cheer for Metro Man!"

Roxanne chuckled at the enthusiasm with which he spoke, her eyes sparkling as she remarked, "Very nicely worded, Megamind, though I doubt many would agree with you… Even if you have the brainpower to, as you put it, '_Rule the world_.'" Megamind laughed, a delightfully evil smirk on his lips, but he said nothing further, that secretive look creeping into his eyes once again. "I suppose you have a point though. It takes brains to govern, but muscle to maintain order. Everyone has their place; even you and Metro Dude."

Megamind grunted at the mention of Metro Dude's name, but before he could reply, he blinked as he spotted a few members of the football team in the distance, heading in his direction. "Ah, time's up…" he hurriedly remarked, jumping to his feet. Handing her what was left of the green tea, he insisted, his cheeks bright purple, "You can have the rest if you like… I'll see you tomorrow at 7:00!" Without another word, he turned and bolted in the opposite direction just as the jocks spotted him and picked up their pace in pursuit. Roxanne hoped he managed to evade them as they hurried by her, smiling as she took a sip of the green tea. It was the closest she'd come to kissing him yet…

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><p>That night, Roxanne headed to the Metro High football field to watch the game. The bleachers were packed, every seat taken by excited students and their families eager to cheer on the Metro High Cougars and root them on to victory. Roxanne had a seat in the front on ground level where she would be able to see and hear everything. She had looked around the growing crowd a few times, her eyes scanning for any sign that Megamind had decided to come after all, but was not surprised to find him missing. He had been pretty firm about his refusal to come, and she knew he wasn't likely to change his mind. After all, she had to admit, a football game was hardly a popular hang-out for the intellectuals of the school; only a few of the high school's geeks dared to come to the event, most of them avoiding the game for what she was certain were similar reasons to Megamind's. Even she would have preferred to be writing about something more mentally stimulating, but the school paper's usual sports writer was home sick, so she had graciously volunteered to cover for him; after all, she had planned on going to the game to cheer on Metro Dude anyway. Now she found herself surrounded by over-stimulated football fans, everyone dressed in white and gold, banners flying, flags waving, air horns blaring, waiting just as they were for the game to begin. Tapping her pencil against her notepad as she prepared herself to take notes, she looked out over the empty football field and smiled softly. She had no doubt this would be one of Metro Dude's finest moments.<p>

When Metro Dude arrived early to warm up the crowd in preparation for the big event, he was greeted by a deafening roar from the excited crowd, Roxanne among them. Wearing his usual practiced smile, the super-powered brawny teenager entertained his audience with impressive displays of his flying ability, dramatically performing aerial somersaults, cartwheels, and acrobatics to the delight of his cheering watchers. Roxanne couldn't help but be impressed. No matter how many times she had seen Metro Dude show off like this, regardless of the tense history he apparently had with Megamind (the details of which she still intended to uncover one way or another), he still managed to awe her with the things he could do, and his natural showmanship made it hard to resist his charms. As she whistled and cheered for her friend at the top of her lungs like every other man, woman, and child around her, she knew this was why Megamind had refused to come… As a very vocal rival to the soon-to-be-hero and a man who made no secret of his distaste for the taller, stronger alien, the last place he would ever want to be would be in a crowd determined to cheer his rival's every move and standing next to a woman doing the very same thing. Even so, she couldn't stop cheering for Metro Dude as he threw apples into the air and used his laser vision to incinerate them before they could hit the ground. He was still her close friend, after all.

When he had finished showing off for the screaming crowd, having soaked up enough of their applause to get his mind in the game, Metro Dude floated effortlessly over to Roxanne, landing gracefully on the ground before her as he flashed her his most charming grin. "Glad you could make it, Roxy!" he greeted her warmly. "The game just wouldn't be the same without you."

Roxanne giggled at him, smiling right back as she assured him, "I wouldn't miss it for the world, Metro Dude. You know that."

Metro Dude's smile brightened slightly. "Are you enjoying the show?"

"Of course," Roxanne chuckled. "Impressive, as always. I especially liked the laser incineration of the apples. Very impressive indeed."

"Ah, you liked that?" Metro Dude questioned hopefully. "I've been practicing that maneuver in the hopes it'd be entertaining."

"Well, it most certainly was," Roxanne assured him, then prepared her pencil to write. "So, Metro Dude, do you have any comments or remarks for the good readers of the Metro High School Enquirer? Any thoughts you'd like to share?"

Metro Dude straightened as he adopted his most heroic pose, lifting his chin into the air as he spoke in a voice more fit for a man than a teenager, "Why, yes, Roxy! As a matter of fact, I do! The Metro High Cougars are dedicated to bringing their 'A' game to the playing field this year, so expect to see a season unlike any other! We plan to eliminate the competition and win the championship! Nothing will keep us down! I, personally, will do my very best to see the team through to victory in every game! This will be a very exciting year for the Metro High Cougars, and we hope our fans will enjoy watching our games as much as we enjoy playing them!"

"Very well spoken!" Roxanne remarked, smiling as she scribbled furiously onto her notepad, making certain to write down every one of his words. "And what are your predictions for the school year?"

"I believe this year will be full of surprises," Metro Dude insisted, but his eyes grew slightly more serious. "Perhaps a mix of good and bad, but rest assured that I will always be there, ready to fight evil and bring justice to those who would destroy it."

Roxanne didn't even miss a beat. Knowing he was speaking of Megamind, she asked him for what she was certain must have been the hundredth time by now, "Metro Dude, will you tell your readers a little about your past connection to the new student, Megamind? How did you meet? Why are you rivals, and what happened to create such obvious bad blood between you?"

Metro Dude grunted and shook his head. "Megamind always has been and always will be a troublemaker," he insisted firmly. "He is no good, and I will be watching him. If he causes trouble, I will be there to stop him. You can count on that."

Roxanne sighed softly under her breath. It was the same answer he'd given her countless times already. He would never go into any further detail. "Very well. Is there anything else you'd like to add, Metro Dude?"

The grin reappeared on Metro Dude's lips as he commented, "Keep your eyes on the Cougars, because this year will be our finest year yet!"

"All right, great! Thank you, Metro Dude," Roxanne smiled at him, then gestured towards the field where she could see the referee getting into place in preparation for the teams' arrivals. "Now go get 'em, Metro Dude! I know you'll blow them away!"

"Thanks, Roxy," Metro Dude smiled at her softly. "I'll see you tomorrow at the dance. Enjoy the game!" Without another word, he took off, flying quickly over to where his team was waiting for him. Roxanne shook her head, smiling awkwardly in his direction. He was in for quite a surprise at the Homecoming dance…


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: No warnings for this chapter! This was the most popular of the chapters the last time I posted this, so hopefully you'll still enjoy it! :D**

**Diclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 8**

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><p>It was here. It was finally here: Homecoming night, the night she had been waiting for. Roxanne waited for Megamind in front of a mirror with butterflies in her stomach. It was almost 7:00. He would be here soon.<p>

Though they had never actually gone on an official date, Roxanne couldn't help but think of Megamind as more than just a friend. He was devilishly handsome, even when he had that scheming look in his eye that still sometimes unnerved her, and she couldn't help but be impressed by his obvious brilliance. He was funny, charming, and mischievous all at the same time. As she checked her hair over one last time in the mirror, she wondered how the night would go… She couldn't help but hope it ended in a kiss.

When she heard a sound very similar to a Harley-Davidson motorcycle approaching her house, Roxanne blinked and ran for a window. He couldn't have brought a motorcycle… Drawing back a curtain, she peeked outside, her eyes widening at the sight that greeted her. There was Megamind dressed in an outfit unlike anything she could have imagined, riding some form of jet-bike painted black with blue lightning bolts across its sides. He was grinning as he shut off the engine, leapt off the vehicle, and headed directly for her front door…

When the doorbell rang, Roxanne hesitated, having no idea how to react to his choice of attire or vehicle. When she finally opened the door to him, he was leaning against her doorframe casually, staring at her through proud, shameless eyes as he handed her a bouquet of red roses interspersed with white baby's breath and tied together with a deep purple silk ribbon. "Good evening, Miss Ritchi," he greeted her smoothly. "These are for you."

"Well, thank you, Megamind," Roxanne accepted the flowers, drawing in an appreciative sniff of their scent before placing them in a vase nearby. Turning back to him, she allowed her eyes to slip over his outfit curiously. If he hadn't been going for the villain look before, he most certainly was now. Dressed entirely in a tightly-fitting black spandex suit with a blue lightning bolt running down his chest and legs, he was even sporting a full-length silk cape, black on one side and blue on its interior with an electric blue lightning bolt pattern throughout. As if this wasn't enough, the cape was topped off by black leather shoulder guards replete with sharp silver spikes and a high-necked collar that framed his large blue head and gave him an almost sinister air. On his hands were black leather gloves that went past his elbows to his biceps, complete with spikes of their own. He had black leather boots on his feet, a black leather silver studded belt, and at the base of his neck where his cape's collar connected was a silver emblem of a stylized "M" with two swoops beside it — what she could only assume was to be his insignia, as it was repeated on the buckle of his belt. "Wow, this is…" Roxanne gasped breathlessly, fishing for the appropriate word.

"Yes?" Megamind grinned expectantly, cupping his hand around his ear in a rather dramatic gesture.

Roxanne hesitated for a moment, then finished her sentence with, "…Intimidating." She had to be honest, but her description was apparently exactly what Megamind was looking for as he began to cackle rather wickedly, like a mad scientist out of a spy movie.

"It is, isn't it?" Megamind practically purred in delight, pushing his way past her into her house so he could flare his cape dramatically for effect. "It's just delightfully terrifying! It's much more _me_ than those cursed jeans and t-shirts you humans wear… Much more comfortable and _bad_!" He settled down for a moment as he allowed himself to fully take in her outfit, blushing softly as his eyes slipped appreciatively over every aspect of her dress — and what lay beneath it, exactly as Roxanne had intended. She couldn't help but quirk a smile at him as he suddenly seemed at a total loss for words, finally stammering out, "Miss Ritchi… You look… Well, _amazing_…"

"Oh, you think so?" Roxanne remarked, overcoming her momentary shock at his outfit to tease his eyes with an obligatory spin so he could get the full effect.

Megamind's eyes were wide, almost star-struck as she came to a stop before him again, her eyes watching his closely. "Well… Perhaps _amazing_ is a bit of an understatement…" he corrected himself, his cheeks turning an even deeper shade of purple. "_Astonishing_ would probably be more appropriate."

Roxanne giggled, smiling at him in an alluring way she could tell was sending shivers down his spine. "Why, thank you, Megamind! I tried to dress to match you… I think I came close enough, considering your choice of attire…"

Megamind chuckled. "I told you I was going to wear something more _impressive_." He grinned at her. "Did I lie?"

Roxanne shook her head at him. "Not at all…"

"Well then, we should get going!" Megamind insisted, offering his arm to Roxanne. "We have an audience to amaze!"

"Not so fast," Roxanne giggled, moving over to a table nearby. He blinked at her in surprise, and she could have sworn he suddenly grew anxious, as though bracing himself for bad news. Smiling at him warmly, she informed him, "I have something for you, too."

"For _me_?" Megamind cocked his head to one side in genuine confusion.

Roxanne had to suppress a giggle as she realized that apart from knowing he was supposed to bring her flowers (even if he'd brought a bouquet instead of a corsage), he was completely unfamiliar with the standard traditions attached to dances like this one. She wondered if he even knew that the color of the roses he chose for her represented love and passion… Her heart skipped a beat as she hoped that somehow he did. Picking up the boutonnière she had bought for him, a lovely purple rose accompanied by a spray of green leaves and white baby's breath, she blushed softly as she brought it over to him. "Yes. It's a tradition," she explained, meeting his green eyes with hers. "This is called a _boutonnière_. It's supposed to be pinned to the lapel of your suit, but you don't have one… Can I… pin it onto you?"

"Y-Yes… Of course…" Megamind agreed breathlessly, and she could have sworn his blush deepened as she gently touched his chest, lifting up the spandex of his suit to push the pin through as she fastened the bloom just below his collar over his left peck. He definitely swallowed hard… She smiled as she drew back, his eyes slipping from hers to admire the rose as he brushed his fingers gently over it. Roxanne couldn't help but notice how much the rose matched the color of his cheeks. "It's beautiful…" he remarked softly, smiling at her gently. "Thank you." Roxanne smiled at him, his eyes moving to the roses he had brought her, and he asked anxiously, "Did I… get the tradition right? I'm sorry, I'm not too familiar with these things…"

"You did fine, Megamind," Roxanne giggled softly, meeting his vivid green eyes with hers. "Traditionally, you're supposed to bring me a _corsage_, which is a small floral arrangement I'd wear on my wrist, but it's not necessary. I love the roses. They're beautiful."

Megamind groaned dramatically, burying his forehead in his hand. "I _knew_ I was going to get it wrong!" His eyes brightened as an idea hit him. "Oh! But I can fix it!" Rushing over to the bouquet he had brought her, he untied the ribbon from around it, grabbing a few of the thornless roses and a spray of baby's breath from the vase. Breaking off the stems, he grinned as he moved back over to her side, wrapping the blooms together with the ribbon as he announced, "One _corsiage_, coming up!" Gesturing for her to lift her wrist, he positioned his makeshift arrangement and gently wrapped the ribbon around her wrist, tying it in an elegant bow just below the blooms. Blushing softly, he looked hopefully up at her and asked, "Is that OK? Will it do?"

Roxanne smiled at him and assured him sincerely, touched by the gesture, "It's the most beautiful corsage I've ever worn." His smile warmed noticeably, and she reached out to hook her arm through his, her heart jumping as she watched him swallow at her touch. "All right, Megamind. _Now_ we can go."

Just as Megamind was about to lead Roxanne out the door, he suddenly heard a female voice from the next room shout, "Wait! Wait! I just found the camera!" Turning, Megamind blinked as Roxanne's mother hurried breathlessly into the room, fussing with an old camera as she prepared to take their picture. He froze as she did, their eyes meeting for the first time as Megamind seemed completely unsure of how to behave and Mrs. Ritchi seemed completely stunned at her daughter's choice of boyfriend…

Quickly picking up on the necessity to break the ice before her mother started screaming, Roxanne darted forward and introduced him gently, "Mother, I'd like you to meet Megamind, my date for the Homecoming dance. I know he's a little, uh…" she glanced at him, choosing her words carefully, "_Eccentric_, but he's not going to hurt me. Megamind, this is my mother, Evelyn."

Coughing into his hand awkwardly to shake off his momentary stupor, Megamind smiled and held out his gloved hand to shake her mother's. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Ritchi. Don't worry, I'll bring your daughter back to you in one piece tonight."

Mrs. Ritchi eyed him carefully, obviously a little frightened by the many spikes adorning the black leather of his outfit — a fact, Roxanne noticed, that made Megamind's lips twitch upwards in a restrained smile. If he was going for shock value, he was succeeding… "Yes, well, I trust my daughter, so I'll trust in her good judgment," Mrs. Ritchi determined at last, shaking off her nerves like an old blanket and smiling welcomingly at him. "After all, appearances don't make the man. I apologize that my husband couldn't be here to meet you, but he was called into work and couldn't shirk his duties."

Megamind nodded. "It happens. I'm not bothered."

"Well, that's good," Mrs. Ritchi smiled, then gestured for the two to squeeze together. "Now, come on! Let me take your picture, then you two lovebirds can be off to the dance!"

At the sound of the word "lovebirds," Megamind's face flushed a deep purple that even colored his ears as he glanced almost awkwardly to Roxanne before laughing nervously. Tugging on his arm in a way that suggested he just go with it, Roxanne drew his arms around her so he would be holding her from behind. She could feel his breathing all but cease as he found his arms around her, and she smiled softly as his body shifted behind hers as he found a comfortable position to stand in. For all his villainous bravado, he was still just a shy young man uncertain how to impress a woman… Her heart melted as her mother gave the command, "Say cheese!"

When the picture had been taken, Megamind approached Mrs. Ritchi slowly, and she automatically held out the digital camera for him to see the photo she had taken. He smiled softly as he saw it, saying nothing for a moment, then, his eyes hopeful as they lifted to meet the woman's, he asked gently, "C-Could I get a copy of this?"

"Of course," Mrs. Ritchi smiled at him. "I have a photo printer in the other room. I'll have a copy made for you when you bring back my Roxanne."

"Thank you," Megamind smiled to the woman, then turned back to Roxanne to usher her through the door. "All right, Miss Ritchi! Let's go!"

"_Roxanne_," Roxanne corrected him with a giggle as he closed the door behind them. "I keep trying to tell you, you don't need to be so formal with me." Megamind chuckled, but made no reply, leading her over to his jet bike. Roxanne stood beside it, admiring it as she ran an appreciative hand over its sleek metal surface. "What is this thing? Don't tell me you built this…"

Megamind laughed. "I did," he insisted, and grinned as she stared at him hard, as though she didn't believe him. He shrugged innocently. "Do you like it? I told you I was going to bring you to the Homecoming dance in _style_."

Roxanne shook her head as she admired the jet bike, then turned to fix him with a very curious gaze. "But I don't understand… How could you have even _built_ this in that tiny cell of yours? And where would you have put it? Don't try to tell me they let you keep it in the parking lot — I won't buy that."

Megamind merely grinned rather secretively at her, chuckling as he moved to straddle the vehicle between his legs. Starting up its engine, he remarked cryptically, "Oh, I have many secrets, Miss Ritchi. This is only one of them. Now get on, and hold on tight. This thing quite literally _flies_!"


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: There are no warnings for this chapter, but I think you guys are going to LOVE the way it ends! ;D Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 9**

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><p>It had been a ride like no other Roxanne had ever experienced before in her life. Megamind's jet-bike purred like a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, but soared like a jet. He could even make the thing hover in the air — something that, as far as she knew, only helicopters were supposed to be able to do. She had held onto him tightly the entire way, a necessary safety precaution since the bike had no seatbelts whatsoever, but an action that also granted her the added bonus of being able to feel his body through his form-fitting spandex suit. She could feel every breath he took, every squeeze of his stomach muscles as he shouted to her occasionally over the roar of the wind and the motor. He had certainly managed to impress her — and that was a difficult task for any man to do. Megamind seemed to somehow know instinctively just how to do it.<p>

When they finally neared the high school, Megamind flew the jet-bike around the large brick building in a wide circle, allowing the sound of the motor to draw the attention of the shocked students below. As many even came back outside to stare up at the strange flying machine now circling them overhead, a delighted grin on Megamind's lips, Roxanne realized with a pang of sudden anxiety that he had no intentions of slipping into the event quietly… Megamind intended to draw as much attention to his arrival — and hers — as possible, showing off his technical prowess to the shocked human students that had been abusing him below. Only when he was satisfied that the crowd had grown large enough did he cast an eager grin Roxanne's way, asking excitedly, "You ready to make some waves, Miss Ritchi? I think our audience is ready to greet us!" And without waiting for a reply, he brought the jet-bike in for a landing.

Metro Dude pushed his way through the crowd outside in confusion. He'd been in the bathroom when the commotion had begun, and he'd managed to miss most of it. Now, curious to see what had drawn such a large crowd, he made his way through the staring, shocked crowd of people to the front to see what it had been… And was shocked to come face to face with a wickedly grinning and very terrifyingly dressed Megamind, Roxanne Ritchi hanging from his arm in what was obviously her very best dress. "Oh, _there_ you are, Metro Man!" the blue alien smirked at him, watching his reactions closely. "You missed my grand arrival! But no matter… You're here now! I'm sure you know my _date_ for the evening, Miss Roxanne Ritchi? I've heard you two are…" He chuckled evilly. "Somewhat… _close_?"

Metro Dude frowned at him, still looking between Megamind and Roxanne in absolute shock. He simply couldn't fathom the idea of Roxanne actually caring for this villain… "What have you done to Roxy?" he growled at him coldly. "If you've harmed a hair on her head…"

Megamind broke out laughing, a deliciously evil cackle, and Roxanne could see a scheming glint appear in his eyes for a moment as he thoroughly enjoyed the super-powered alien's reaction to his close proximity to his rumored girlfriend. "I haven't done a thing to her," he swore, leaving Roxanne's side as he and Metro Dude began to circle each other as if sizing one another up. "Merely brought her to a dance… It is my right, is it not? I attend this _shool_, same as you. Miss Ritchi simply picked _me_ over you!"

"I don't believe you," Metro Dude refused, his eyes watching Megamind's closely as the blue teenager began to laugh. "You've brainwashed her somehow… Used your evil tricks to manipulate her!"

Megamind didn't even bother to respond to the accusation, merely pausing expectantly to let Roxanne return to his side. Looping her arm through his, the future reporter assured Metro Dude, "He hasn't used any tricks on me, Metro Dude. I wanted to come with him."

As Metro Dude simply stared at Roxanne with his jaw hanging open in shocked disbelief, Megamind laughed and turned to walk inside with his date. "You see? She chose _me_," he taunted over his shoulder, then disappeared inside with Roxanne holding tightly onto his arm.

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><p>The school gymnasium was decorated specifically for the occasion, streamers and balloons hung everywhere in festive arrangements as a DJ played music on a stage set to one side of the room. The lights were dim, tables spread out across the sides of the room providing refreshments to the dancing teenagers enjoying the night. An unlucky few who hadn't found dates waited against the walls in the hopes of being asked to dance, but most of the attending students were to be found on the dance floor, dancing with their partners to the music filling the air. Megamind and Roxanne were among them.<p>

The two were given a rather wide ring of space in which to dance, the blue alien's new look effectively intimidating even the toughest of the bullies that usually picked on him. Free to dance however they liked, Roxanne couldn't help but smile as she danced with the energetic blue alien, his moves sweeping her off her feet as effectively as his technological prowess had done. He was an incredible dancer, and his stamina was more than she could take. She tired out long before he did… "Oh, I'm sorry! I need to breathe!" Roxanne finally gasped after they'd been dancing for a while, slipping off the dance floor as Megamind followed her.

"All right. You rest here, and I'll go get us some drinks," Megamind smiled at her, then hurried off to get some punch.

Megamind returned a few minutes later with two full cups of sparkling fruit punch, and handing one to her, they both sipped happily from their cups, their eyes on each other. Roxanne's heart was racing in her chest as she gazed deep into his emerald green eyes. He danced like a dream, his body moving with hers with a fluid grace that almost made her swoon. And when he danced to the faster beats, his cape swaying around his spindly body with an elegance that stole her breath away, he moved with a sense of style unparalleled by anyone she'd ever seen before… This was a man who truly knew how to _dance_, and his moves dwarfed everyone else on the dance floor. More than once she'd caught the eyes of other women straying curiously towards her dangerously handsome blue date, and she'd smirked at them every time. There was no doubt about it. She had definitely fallen for the supposed "villain." She wondered if he felt the same way about her…

"Miss Ritchi…" Megamind began after a moment had passed, but was interrupted when an announcement suddenly sounded over the dancing crowd, the music dying. "May I have your attention please! We are about to announce the Homecoming king and queen!"

Every eye in the place turned towards the stage, though Megamind rolled his and crossed his arms over his chest. The announcer pulled out a fancy white envelope and said, "And our Homecoming king is…" A drum roll sounded as he tore open the envelope. "Our very own Metro Dude!"

Megamind rolled his eyes and shook his head as Metro Dude floated effortlessly up onto the stage, the crown placed on his smiling head as he waved and winked at the cheering crowd in a way that was making them cheer even louder. Many of the women swooned as he looked in their direction.

"And our Homecoming queen is…" the announcer continued, pulling out a second envelope and opening it as the drum roll sounded once more. "Miss Roxanne Ritchi!"

Roxanne blinked in surprise as she heard her name called, but Megamind looked downright betrayed as the crowd began to tug and yank her away from him, pushing her towards the stage. Sighing, she cast Megamind a reassuring glance as she saw the hurt in his eyes, and reluctantly moved towards the stage. Ascending the stairs, the announcer smiled as they moved to place the tiara upon her head, but she shocked them when she raised her hand in a firm gesture of refusal. Shaking her head, Roxanne insisted, "I appreciate the gesture, but I'm afraid I must refuse." Her eyes moved to look out over the crowd until they met Megamind's, and she smiled softly as she saw the relief dawning in his. "I will dance with only one man tonight, Megamind." She turned back to look the stunned announcer in his eye as she instructed him, "Please give my crown to the runner-up. I will not be the Homecoming queen tonight."

Stunned, the announcer didn't respond immediately as Metro Dude stepped forward, reaching towards Roxanne in a plaintive gesture as he protested softly, "Roxy… You can't abdicate! This is Homecoming! You should be queen. You've earned it… Don't throw that away for _him_…"

"I believe Miss Ritchi has made her choice, Metro Man," Megamind's voice rang out loud and clear over the crowd as he made his way towards the stage, a cocky smirk on his lips as he looked the resident hero directly in the eye. Ascending the stairs to stand beside Roxanne, he offered her his hand and tried not to blush when she smiled at him and accepted it with her own. Staring Metro Dude confidently in the eye, he reminded him sternly, "She chose _me_."

Metro Dude frowned coldly at the shorter blue alien, then turned a concerned eye once more to Roxanne as he pleaded again, "Roxy, don't do this! You'll regret it!"

"I've made my choice, Metro Dude," Roxanne insisted firmly, refusing to back down from her decision. Turning back to the announcer, she repeated her instructions. "Give the crown to the runner-up, please. She will have more use for it than I do." Then, turning to smile softly at her obviously relieved and overjoyed blue date, she moved to lead him back off the stage. "Come on, Megamind. You owe me a dance now."

Megamind chuckled, his cheeks a deep violet, then purred softly, "Anything you say, Miss Ritchi." He was smiling warmly as Roxanne maneuvered him through the crowd to a spot where she wished to dance to wait for the music to start up again. "Anything you say." She couldn't help but smile right back at him.

* * *

><p>Now that she had officially announced her intention to dance only with Megamind and not even once with Metro Dude in front of the entire school, Roxanne noticed the dashing blue alien seemed far more relaxed than he had been before, almost as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. She wondered if behind the confident smirk he kept casting to Metro Dude as the soon-to-be hero danced with his own date that night he was actually afraid she would abandon him to run to his burly arms instead… Considering he still seemed convinced she was dating the super-powered teenager, she wouldn't doubt it for a second. "Miss Ritchi…" Megamind spoke up softly as they danced together, interrupting her thoughts as their bodies swayed slowly to the music.<p>

"_Roxanne_," Roxanne corrected him with a soft giggle.

Megamind grinned at her sheepishly, but ignored the correction, asking softly, "Why did you give up your crown? I mean, really? Did you and Metro Man have a fight? Is that why you're here with me instead of him?"

Roxanne sighed softly and shook her head at him before looking him straight in the eye. "You know, Megamind, for a man gifted with a truly _remarkable_ intellect, you can be awfully dense at times." He blinked and frowned, and she smirked at him, reminding him pointedly, "I already told you, Metro Dude is not my type, and we're not together. I'm here with you because I want to be. I didn't come with you to get back at him, or because someone made me, or even because it was the only way I could avoid coming with him… I came with you because I _wanted_ to come with _you_." His eyes widened breathlessly as he was struck speechless, and taking advantage of his momentary stupor, she brought a hand up to his cheek, smiling as the action caused his entire face to flush. "Don't worry, Megamind… I am _your_ queen tonight. _That_ is why I gave up my crown, and it is a decision I don't regret making."

Megamind melted visibly, his smile warming noticeably, and despite the fact he was now blushing so hard even his ears had turned purple, he practically whispered, "Then I am the luckiest man here, even if I don't deserve to be… My queen… Hmmm. I like the sound of that."

Roxanne giggled softly as he chuckled mischievously, resisting the urge to wrap her arms completely around him to embrace him instead. Allowing her hand to drop from his face back to his shoulder, she sighed softly as she shifted her body to move in just a little closer to his, delighting in the feel of his hips swaying so close to hers. She was grateful for the slow song playing in the background, the mood perfect for the slow dance they were sharing and the tender moment she knew even he could feel between them. Slowly, unable to resist the urge any longer, she leaned in and rested her head against his shoulder. He stiffened suddenly at the action, completely unaccustomed to any form of affection, then sighed softly as he relaxed against her, his grip on her waist tightening slightly as he slowly moved to rest his cheek against her hair. "Megamind…" Roxanne whispered softly, her heart warming against him.

"Hmmm?" was Megamind's only response, obviously lost in the scent of her hair as she felt more than heard him draw in a deep, appreciative sniff.

Roxanne's smile warmed even more before she finally responded, "You're not the only lucky one. I'm proud to have you for my king tonight." Megamind didn't respond with words, but the soft squeeze of his hands on her waist and the sigh of his breath into her hair said more than words ever could. She could hear his heart thundering in his chest, and she pressed against him gently. It was all she could do to keep herself from throwing her arms around him and stealing from his soft blue lips the kiss she wanted so badly…

* * *

><p>The rest of the night passed uneventfully, Megamind and Roxanne dancing together without a care in the world for what anyone else thought of them. Megamind grinned at Metro Dude every time they danced past him, reveling in the fact he'd successfully stolen the Homecoming king's queen away from him. He and Roxanne had had their pictures taken by the official photographer for the dance, and had spent the night hand in hand, almost inseparable. Roxanne couldn't help but feel the night couldn't have gone any better.<p>

When it was over, Megamind led Roxanne back out to his jet-bike, though he seemed hesitant to get on it. "I suppose… I should take you home now, huh?" he realized softly, though it was obvious he didn't really want the night to end.

Roxanne sighed softly, reluctant to have it end herself. Despite his attempts to appear villainous and terrifying, she couldn't help but enjoy his company, and this had been by far the best date she'd been on in a very long time. Even so, she knew it had to end sometime… "Yeah, I guess so," she finally admitted, her disappointment evident in her tone.

Megamind climbed onto his jet-bike and started the engine, holding his hand out to her to help her up to sit behind him. "All right, Roxanne. I'll take you home."

Roxanne smiled warmly at him as she wrapped her arms around his waist, preparing to hold on for the flight home. "Hey, you called me _Roxanne_," she pointed out teasingly.

He chuckled softly, his cheeks coloring slightly, but casting her a warm glance over his shoulder, he admitted, "Yes… Yes, I guess I did." Roxanne's smile brightened as she realized what that meant, and she nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder as he shifted the jet-bike into gear and took off. He was finally ready to believe she didn't belong to Metro Dude, and maybe — just _maybe _— she could even be _his_. She intended to prove him right.

* * *

><p>Parking the jet-bike in the driveway, Megamind helped Roxanne off it and walked her to her door. "Thank you, Megamind," Roxanne smiled at him as she watched his eyes grow nervous. "I had a great time…"<p>

She didn't even get to finish her sentence before the front door opened and they were interrupted, Mrs. Ritchi hurrying to greet them with an excited smile on her lips. "Oh, you're back! I heard that bike… thing… and knew it was you!" She glanced at Megamind for a moment, then held the door open, gesturing for him to come inside. "Come in! Come in! I have the photo I promised you, Megamind. Oh, and my husband is home now and eager to meet you."

Megamind stopped dead in his tracks halfway through the door, swallowing hard. Casting a quick sideways glance towards Roxanne that was clearly asking if he should run, the future reporter giggled and taking his arm in hers to usher him through the door, she assured him, "Don't worry, Megamind. He's a good man." As her mother smiled at them and disappeared into the living room to prepare her husband to meet their daughter's unusual new boyfriend, she added in a tone only he could hear, "Just downplay the whole 'bad boy' thing and you'll be fine." Megamind swallowed hard and braced himself. The mother had been easy to win over. It was the father he dreaded…

Passing through an archway that separated the living room from the rest of the house, Megamind's eyes immediately spotted Roxanne's father at the other end of the room. Taller than he was by at least half a foot, the man was slightly more tanned than his daughter, with dark brown hair and deep blue eyes that were watching his every move carefully. The man was hardly a body-builder, but was well-toned, with muscles like tightened cords straining beneath his skin, the casual T-shirt he was wearing doing little to hide the biceps peeking out from beneath it like warning flags to any who would dare mess with him or his daughter. Megamind swallowed hard and straightened himself as best he could beside Roxanne as her father began to move towards him, every step slow and precise, his eyes scanning over his unique attire in an appraising manner. "Megamind, I'd like you to meet my father, Richard," Roxanne introduced him politely. "Dad, this is Megamind."

Swallowing his nerves and mustering his courage, Megamind stepped forward and offered his gloved hand to the man that now seemed to be almost towering above him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ritchi," he greeted him as calmly as he could, trying not to appear too intimidated despite the anxiety plaguing his trembling nerves. Metro Dude was tough, but _this_ man was _frightening_…

Mr. Ritchi's eyes slipped up and down Megamind's thin frame once before he responded, his voice cool and measured. "That's quite an outfit you've got on there… Would you mind explaining it to me? Why wear _that_ on a date with my daughter, and to the Homecoming dance of all things?"

Megamind blinked as Roxanne watched to see how he would handle the question. Her father was certainly direct, and got straight to the point. It was the way he handled stressful situations, and he'd approached every boyfriend she'd ever had the same way. Clearing his throat as he composed himself, Megamind spread his hands in a gesture indicating his attire, then stated simply in a tone of voice daring the man to challenge his choices, "You ask why, and I ask, why not? Are we all to be molded into clones of one another then, our identities stripped away as we are forced to conform to one person's ideal of the definition of 'normal?' Must we all march to the same beat and follow the same drummer? If one person chooses to wear white, does that mean I cannot wear black? Or blue? If popular opinion pushes the idea that men are superior to women, does that make it so?" Mr. Ritchi blinked as he shook his enormous head, then grinning confidently, drove his point home. "No, Mr. Ritchi. It does not. Not everyone has to follow the same path, and not everyone should. Let the others act and dress as they will and follow their own models of conformity, but I will follow my own path and dress as I see fit in a style of my own choosing. I _like_ this suit. It suits me. So you ask me, Mr. Ritchi, why I wear it… And I will ask you again, why not?"

Mr. Ritchi studied Megamind hard for a moment as Roxanne watched the two stare each other down anxiously from her position nearby, then as a welcoming smile suddenly split his face, he remarked in a tone full of mirth, "Well, you've certainly got spunk, I'll give you that! You're not afraid to speak your mind, even to the father of your girlfriend… Bold. I like a man with guts." Megamind blinked, surprised at his reaction, but the taller man ignored his anxiety as he circled around him to get a better look at his costume. Reaching out to take a fold of the cape in his hand, he admired it appreciatively, "The quality of this thing is just _fantastic_! You had this specially tailored for you, didn't you?"

"Y-Yes, I did…" Megamind stammered uncomfortably. He obviously didn't know whether to trust Roxanne's father just yet, and the young future reporter tried not to laugh at the anxiety in his eyes as her father scrutinized him from every angle. "Minion made it for me…"

"_Minion_ made that?" Roxanne gasped in shock. "Your _fish_? Are you serious?"

Megamind nodded, his eyes moving to meet the young woman's as he confirmed, "Of course… Minion is really quite a fantastic fish. You'd be shocked at the things he can do."

"Minion is a fish?" Mr. Ritchi looked stunned as he exchanged glances with his wife, both of them suddenly looking intensely curious.

"Yes, Minion is a fish," Megamind repeated, trying his best not to sound bored with this line of questioning. "He's incredibly intelligent, sentient, and my best friend. _And_ he's an excellent tailor and cook, among other things."

"But, how can a fish…?" Mrs. Ritchi began to ask, her voice trailing off as her eyes asked the question for her.

Roxanne decided to field the question for Megamind as she noticed he seemed to be getting frustrated with questions she was sure to him seemed almost obvious. "Megamind designed and built a robotic body for Minion to control," she explained, proudly showing off his intellect for him. "Minion controls it with his thoughts! It's really rather incredible."

Both her parents' eyes widened as they fixed on the brilliant blue alien standing before them and suddenly looking awfully smug. "You built a robot that can be controlled by the thoughts of a _fish_?" Mr. Ritchi gasped in disbelief.

Megamind's grin only widened as he boasted proudly, "Oh, yes, I did! I built his first robotic body when I was only five. It has undergone many upgrades and improvements since then. I am finalizing the ultimate body for him now. I also built that jet-bike parked in your driveway. Never underestimate my amazing intellect, Mr. Ritchi. I can build things you've never even dreamed of…"

There was no mistaking the look of awe that appeared in both of Roxanne's parents' eyes as they stared at the grinning blue alien in silent wonder. They were deeply impressed, and they didn't care if he knew it. "Well, I think it's safe to say that if you can do all _that_, you've certainly earned the right to dress however you please," Mr. Ritchi finally spoke, crossing his arms over his chest in satisfaction as he and his wife both smiled at the big-headed teenager. "I'm glad I got this chance to meet you, Megamind. I can see why my daughter likes you."

Megamind's eyes instantly widened, his face flushing a deep hue of purple as he glanced anxiously to Roxanne to find her blushing right back at him. The future reporter smiled at him shyly, but she had no intentions of hiding it; in fact, she hoped he'd finally take the hint now that her father had so thoroughly embarrassed her by blurting it out so bluntly. Whatever he read in her eyes must have pleased him as she saw a shy smile appear on his lips before he turned back to face her parents, and feeling her own cheeks growing even hotter, she smiled to herself in the hopes he'd finally accept the fact she cared about him and let himself feel it. Clearing his throat awkwardly, Megamind replied, "Yes, well, the feeling is mutual. I was, uh… Disappointed I didn't get the chance to meet you sooner, Mr. Ritchi, but work must come first. Would you mind if I asked what you do for a living?"

"I'm a neurosurgeon," Mr. Ritchi explained calmly. "A doctor. There was an emergency at the hospital that required my skills, and I had to take the call."

"Ah! So you specialize in the nervous system," Megamind nodded in recognition. "You're a brain doctor then. That's quite a respectable field. I've done extensive research in that area myself. Tell me, Mr. Ritchi, if you could only pick one, which branch of the nervous system would you prefer to focus on?"

Mr. Ritchi thought for a moment, then answered, "I think I'd have to say the spinal column. It's a tricky area on which to operate, but a vital hub from which and through which all nerve impulses must travel for the body to operate properly."

"Good choice," Megamind nodded in approval, then admitted, "Though personally I'd have to say the brain is of more interest to me. For the body to truly operate efficiently, the brain must be working at full capacity, and of course there's a direct correlation to intelligence… I feel the most vital research lies in uncovering and _increasing_ the brain's potential to maximize its output."

"_You_ would feel that way, wouldn't you?" Mr. Ritchi chuckled, eyeing Megamind's oversized cranium.

Megamind merely grinned, pointing dramatically at his own enormous bald head. "It's big for a reason."

Mr. Ritchi laughed, his eyes sparkling. He was thoroughly enjoying this. "All right, well, maybe you have a point, but I still stand by my decision. The spinal column is what fascinates me, but that's why we each have our own areas of expertise. What about you, Megamind? What do you aim to become? Are you looking to become a neurosurgeon?"

Megamind snickered and shook his over-large head. "No. I'm a scientist. I dabble in a little of everything from chemistry to genetics, but I specialize in robotics. The field I go into will involve a lot of robotics…"

"Ah, an inventor then," Mr. Ritchi determined, completely missing the sheepish grin that appeared on Megamind's lips for a moment before he masked it again, but Roxanne had spotted it. She was glad he hadn't yet broken out into an evil laugh; she could tell he wanted to… "Well, I must say I look forward to seeing what contributions you make to the scientific and medical communities."

"Yes… Of course…" Megamind agreed as politely as he could, resisting the urge to snicker at the man. He caught Roxanne staring at him and immediately straightened himself. Glancing at his watch, he cleared his throat then announced, "Oh, I'm sorry… I lost track of the time. I have to get going…"

"Oh! Don't forget your photograph!" Mrs. Ritchi caught him as he turned to leave the room, grabbing the photograph she'd taken of the two of them from a desk nearby and placing it in his hand.

Megamind smiled softly at the photograph, his cheeks coloring softly, then met the woman's eyes with his own. "Thank you, Mrs. Ritchi. I appreciate it."

"It was good to meet you, Megamind," Mr. Ritchi insisted, shaking the blue teenager's gloved hand once more. "Don't be afraid to drop by from time to time. Maybe we could even go over some of the more fascinating aspects of neuroscience together, if you're up for it."

Megamind laughed. "Oh, Mr. Ritchi… You'll learn soon enough never to pit my intellect against yours or anyone else's. You can't win." He grinned confidently as the man began to chuckle, then waved as he left the room, Roxanne beside him. "It was nice to meet you both."

Roxanne couldn't help but note the relieved breath of air Megamind took as soon as they'd stepped outside the house, the front door closed safely behind him. Smiling at him warmly, she reached out and brushed her hand over his shoulder, watching the blood rush to his cheeks again as she assured him, "You can relax now, Megamind. You did fine."

"Oh, I'm glad that's over…" Megamind admitted, running a hand back over his giant, bald head. Roxanne giggled, and he relaxed visibly at the sound, a soft smile appearing on his face. "I had fun tonight, Roxanne… Th-Thank you… for going with me."

"No, thank you for taking me," Roxanne insisted, stepping in a hair closer to him. "I really enjoyed your company."

Megamind's smile warmed as his entire face flushed, and for a few moments he seemed to be struggling with himself over what to say. Roxanne merely waited patiently, letting him take his time, hoping he would do what she wanted him to… But wanting him to do it on his own. Finally, after a moment, he seemed to win his internal battle, and taking a shy step towards her, he asked her gently, "W-Would you… want my company again?"

Roxanne's smile brightened noticeably as her heart warmed. He'd actually done it… He was asking her out again. She felt as though she could pounce on him and smother him with kisses for her answer, but restrained herself and agreed instead, "Yes, Megamind. I would love to have your company again, and not just to pick your brain as we study."

Megamind's eyes lit up, his smile warming as he practically melted before her eyes. "Then… Can I… consider you mine?" he asked anxiously, his vivid green eyes locked shyly on hers.

"Only if I can call you mine," Roxanne replied, reaching out to rest her hands on his shoulders. She could feel her cheeks growing hot under his gaze as she asked, "Deal?"

Megamind chuckled, nodding as he let his hands fall to her waist as they had while they'd been dancing, and agreed softly, "Deal." He hesitated for a moment, then asked softly, "But I have to know… Why me? Why would you want me? You're so beautiful… You could have any man in _shool_… Why would you pick _me_?"

Roxanne looked him seriously in the eye as she informed him, "Because of who you _are_. You are beautiful in your own right, Megamind, both inside and out… And I _like_ what I see in you."

Megamind's eyes strayed from hers, obviously doubting her, and his voice almost cracked as he insisted, "I'm no good for you, Miss Ritchi… I'm afraid I'll break your heart…"

Roxanne knew what he really meant as his eyes shyly met hers again. It wasn't that he was afraid of hurting _her_; he was afraid of _being_ hurt. Smiling at him with a warmth that seemed to melt right through his villainous exterior, she looked him in his nervous eyes and insisted, "Then that's a chance I'm willing to take." Megamind smiled at her so warmly she could feel her heart melting, and unable to resist the temptation any longer, she brought a hand to his cheek in a gesture of affection that instantly turned him into putty in her hands. His body shifted, his eyes absolutely breathless as she gazed deep into them, and she leaned in a bit closer. His eyes kept darting to her lips then to her eyes and back again, his lips parted slightly in an almost irresistible admission of a desire to kiss her… Though he still restrained himself, as if afraid to make the first move for fear of rejection. She smiled softly as she ran her hand tenderly across his soft, smooth skin, slowly moving it back across his jaw then slowly behind his large head as she inched in just a hair closer, her lips only inches from his. She could feel his desire in the heat of his breath, in the tight grip of his hands on her waist, his eyes betraying him as they slipped longingly to her ruby lips, and she whispered to him gently, "You are worth the risk…" Without another word, she drew him in closer to her as she brought her lips to his…

Megamind practically melted as she kissed him, a soft moan catching in his throat as he kissed her back tenderly, slowly wrapping his arms around her, holding her close. Roxanne couldn't help but sigh in delight against his lips, savoring the contact and the warmth it generated in her body. He tasted divine, his kiss as sweet as honey, and the tender grip of his hands on her back was making her body ache for more. It was everything she had wanted it to be, everything she had hoped for… She almost whimpered when he slowly pulled back from her lips, obviously reluctant to break the contact, and her heart melted as she saw the warm smile on his lips, his eyes glancing anxiously to hers as if to ask if it had been all right. "Perfect…" she breathed in answer to his silent question, her heart swelling as she watched his face turn bright purple as he bit his lower lip to keep his grin from growing so large it swallowed his face.

Megamind sighed in delight, resting his giant forehead affectionately against hers as he reveled in the moment, obviously reluctant to let her go. When he finally spoke, his voice was warm, but filled with regret, "I have to go now… If I delay any longer, I won't have time to change before they come for me and I'll get in trouble… I don't want to lose my privileges… Not now… I… I want to see you again, Roxanne."

Roxanne smiled against him, pulling him into her arms to hold him tight. He sighed audibly as she squeezed him, his chin resting gently over her shoulder as she nuzzled her cheek against his long, elegant neck, and she assured him warmly, "You will, Megamind. I promise. I'll see you in class on Monday, and we'll plan our next date then, all right?"

"Mmmm… I look forward to it…" Megamind practically hummed against her, then reluctantly pulled himself out of her arms. He stood there for a moment, just staring at her, memorizing her every feature, then turned and bolted over to his jet-bike, tearing himself away from her before he could hesitate any longer. Calling to her over the roar of the engine as he started it up, he insisted, "Enjoy your weekend, Roxanne. I will see you on Monday!" Roxanne watched him fly off with a smile on her lips, then turned to head back inside.

He had kissed her! Megamind had kissed her! Roxanne felt as though she were walking on air. Beneath all the "bad boy" bravado, he felt the same way about her! And judging from the eager, almost possessive squeeze of his embrace as their lips had met, he'd fallen for her _hard_… Maybe even as hard as she now knew she had fallen for him. She couldn't wait to go to school on Monday, couldn't wait to see him again. His kiss had been magical, and she knew in her blood it would not be the last. She looked forward to the next one with eager anticipation…

She went to sleep that night hugging the photograph her mother had taken of the two of them.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: No warnings for today's chapter! I will be posting this up on LJ as soon as it stops being a bear, but I figured there was no reason to make you guys over here wait just so I can put it up on both simultaneously. :P Just a little note: I know Megamind may come off a little aggressive when he approaches Roxanne's friend, but keep in mind he's still trying to maintain an "evil" persona around the others, and remember how he feels about Roxanne. He doesn't take too kindly to anyone harrassing her. :) That said, I hope you like it! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 10**

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><p>Roxanne headed to school Monday morning with a spring in her step. Finally, after a long and lonely weekend doing nothing but homework and studying, she was going to see Megamind again! She almost skipped to homeroom, feeling lighter than air as she sat down in her seat and pulled out the photograph her mother had printed of her and her dangerously dashing blue boyfriend. She smiled as she admired his features, her eyes slipping appreciatively over his tight spandex suit. He had looked pretty good in that, she had to admit, chuckling softly to herself as she studied the high black leather collar and the many sharp silver spikes protruding from it and his gloves. He had been going for the supervillain look, she knew, and she had to admit, he'd certainly pulled it off. She snickered as she remembered how most of the school had certainly been intimidated by him when he showed up wearing such a dangerous-looking outfit… And that's when she began to hear the whispers passing around her.<p>

She had known this would happen. Having gone to the Homecoming dance with Megamind instead of Metro Dude, she had unwittingly become the central figure in a scandal. She was used to hearing rumors about her and Metro Dude, but she'd never cared about him… Now that Megamind was being included in them, however, she was suddenly outraged at their being spread. Apparently the whole school was convinced Megamind had somehow _forced_ her to go with him against her will, that Metro Man (apparently the name had caught on and stuck) had simply refrained from beating the blue criminal into a pulp to keep from disrupting the dance and ruining everyone's night. Somehow or another Megamind had — again — been turned into a villain, Metro Man the long-suffering hero who saved the day, and she the helpless victim of an evil plot, now finally free to return to the welcoming arms of Metro Man. Frowning as she shot a rather cold glare at the nearest gossiping girl that caused her to blink at her, she wished she knew how to silence the rumors once and for all… But years of experience had taught her that such a thing — especially where Metro Man was concerned — was simply not possible.

When Metro Man arrived to class that morning, he didn't immediately take his seat as he usually did, heading directly for Roxanne's desk instead. A look of the utmost concern in his eye — a look that suddenly annoyed her, he asked her worriedly, "Are you OK, Roxy? Did Megamind hurt you?"

"No, he did not, thank you," Roxanne answered him somewhat sharply. "Megamind was a perfect gentleman."

Metro Man grunted. "I find _that_ hard to believe. Listen, Roxy, if he bothers you again…"

"I think Miss Ritchi can take care of herself, Metro Man," a familiar, sly voice spoke up from behind the brawny alien. Metro Man turned and frowned as he spotted Megamind glaring at him in an almost protective manner. "So _back off_."

Metro Man slowly approached Megamind until he was standing directly in front of him. The shorter blue alien merely straightened himself as best he could as he looked him right in the eye. "You leave Roxanne alone, Megamind," Metro Man growled at him. "I'm watching you. If you so much as harm a hair on her head, I'll string you up by your toes until the police cart you back off to prison where you belong."

Megamind laughed at him, then pointed dramatically to his leather boots. "Oooh, I'm shaking in my custom baby seal leather boots!" He grinned at the gasp of shocked outrage that passed through the classroom, then challenged him, "Just try and stop me, you overgrown baboon. If Miss Ritchi wants to associate with the villain instead of the hero, that's _her_ choice." He roughly pushed his way past the larger alien, his eyes lighting up as they found Roxanne's. Hurrying over to his seat, he threw himself casually down into his chair and cast her a rather alluring smile as he greeted her, "Good morning, Roxanne! Did you miss me?"

Roxanne giggled, nodding as she admitted, "More than you know."

Megamind chuckled, his cheeks coloring softly as he admitted, "We need to talk."

"I know," Roxanne agreed, reaching across the space between them to rest a hand over his for just a moment. Smiling at him, she squeezed his hand, instructing him calmly, "Meet me at lunch. Outside. It's easier to talk when we're alone."

"Tell me about it," Megamind groaned, dramatically rolling his eyes in Metro Man's direction. "Outside then. We'll have lunch together. Hopefully this time we won't get interrupted. Are you sure you don't want to just meet in a chemistry lab? It might be easier to avoid unwanted intruders that way…"

Roxanne tilted her head to one side as she shot him a knowing look and asked, "Will you be able to resist playing the scientist with so many chemicals at your fingertips?"

Megamind chuckled mischievously, biting his lower lip sheepishly as he admitted, "Uh… No, probably not…"

"Outside then," Roxanne determined, giggling softly. "We'll hide in the trees. You can help me climb up."

"All right. Sounds good," Megamind agreed, then fell silent as Mrs. Green began to take roll call.

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><p>When lunch time rolled around, Roxanne took her lunch outside to meet up with Megamind. Instead, she found her best friend, Judy, waiting for her with a concerned look in her eye. "Roxanne, we have to talk," Judy insisted, trying to intercept her, but Roxanne just kept on walking.<p>

"Not now, Judy," Roxanne refused. "I'm looking for someone."

"I know who you're looking for, Roxanne!" Judy shouted at her, physically blocking her path and placing her hands on her shoulders to prevent her from running off. "You _have_ to listen to me! I don't know what Megamind's done to you to get you to think he's not bad, but he _is_! That alien's bad news! You need to stay away from him!"

"I believe that's my choice to make," Roxanne insisted, her tone a warning growl as she tried to push her way past her friend only to find her path blocked again. "Judy, let me go."

Judy shook her head. "Not until you listen to _reason_, Roxanne. I've heard the rumors… He's a criminal! He lives in a _prison_ for goodness' sakes! You can't get mixed up with that, Roxanne. He'll drag you down with him. Is that what you want?"

"Judy…" Roxanne tried to stop her, but Judy wasn't about to be silenced.

"Snap out of it, Roxanne!" Judy cut her off. "You have to listen…"

"No, _you_ have to listen!" Roxanne snapped, growing angry. Judy blinked at her, but at least she knew better than to push her when she was _this_ agitated. Roxanne pushed her advantage, advancing on the stunned girl as Judy backed away. "I am sick and tired of you and everyone else seeming to think you know what's good for me when you _don't_! How _dare_ you talk so poorly about Megamind! You don't even _know_ him! _None_ of you do!"

"But… But, Roxanne…" Judy stammered, obviously shaken by her friend's anger. "I'm worried about you! The things I hear about him…"

"They're _rumors_, Judy, nothing more!" Roxanne practically spat at her.

"B-But Metro Man doesn't trust…" Judy practically whimpered.

"_Metro Man_ is a brainless oaf who should learn his place and bow to _my_ genius," a cold voice suddenly interrupted, a voice Roxanne recognized, and as the two teenage women turned towards its source, Judy almost shrieked as she spotted Megamind walking steadily towards them, a dangerous frown on his lips and his hands balled into fists. His emerald green eyes were sharp as they glared at the trembling girl, growling at her, "You would do well to do the same!" Turning to grin almost hungrily to Roxanne, he nodded towards Judy and asked, "This girl giving you trouble, Roxanne? I could run her off for you, if you like… Teach her a _lesson_…"

Roxanne shook her head at him as he broke out into an evil laugh. "No, Megamind, that won't be necessary." She looked back to Judy, noting the girl looked as though she wanted to be anywhere else but in the presence of her thin blue boyfriend and instructed her, "Go on, Judy. Get out of here. I'll talk to you later — when you're willing to _listen_." Judy took off at a run, hurrying away from Megamind as fast as her legs could carry her, the blue alien laughing after her as she went. Roxanne cast Megamind a sharp glance as his laughter ebbed, sighing at him, "Was that really necessary, Megamind? You scared her half to death!"

Megamind snickered, shrugging his shoulders as he turned to lead the way over to the oak tree where they'd planned to meet. "I couldn't help it. Some of these mindless drones need to learn their place, and she was hassling you at my expense. She'll think twice before she challenges the great Megamind again! Or you, for that matter."

Roxanne groaned slightly from her place at the base of the tree as she watched Megamind deftly leap up into its branches. "Yes, well, that 'mindless drone' happens to be my best friend, Megamind, and you just nearly gave her a heart attack! I'm trying to _downplay_ this whole 'bad boy' façade you seem intent on maintaining; that's a little hard to do with you frightening people half to death."

Megamind turned around and leaned down, offering his hand to Roxanne and helping to pull her up into the branches after him as he replied with a heavy sigh, "Roxanne, I _am_ the bad boy. I always have been… It's my destiny, and that's not likely to change. If this… _Jew-dee_ can't accept you for who you are and support you when you choose to associate with the villain, then maybe she's not worthy of your friendship." He relaxed into the crook of a branch where it met the trunk of the oak tree, his eyes suddenly growing sad as he pulled his knees up to his chest and hugged them. Looking away at nothing at all, he practically whispered, "Unless… You're having second thoughts about me…"

Roxanne shook her head and carefully moved to sit beside him. "No! No, it's nothing like that," she assured him. He smiled as he slowly relaxed his posture, his legs moving to swing out over the branch as he blushed and shifted his body to move in a little closer to her. Smiling, she placed her hand over his and assured him, "I want to get to know you better, Megamind. _You_. Not this supposedly evil, villainous persona you seem determined to foster… But the real you, the one I see in your eyes behind all the bluster." His eyes suddenly grew nervous and strayed from hers and she pressed him gently, "What happened to make you think you're evil? Why do you think you have to be the villain? What happened between you and Metro Man? Please, Megamind… I want to know you…"

Megamind's jaw clenched for a moment as she could see anxiety rise in his eyes and realized the questions she was asking were probably unearthing old scars that haunted him every day. When he finally did speak, his voice was distant and sad, his eyes refusing to meet hers. "Roxanne… Do we really have to talk about this _now_? The lunch hour will be over soon, and I know you. You're going to ask me all kinds of questions, and I can't answer them right now. This really isn't the time for it."

Roxanne sighed heavily, but nodded. He hadn't refused to answer, only he didn't want to answer _now_. It was more than she'd ever gotten out of Metro Man, at least. "All right, Megamind. I won't push you. I only ask because I care."

"Well… You'd be the first…" Megamind admitted softly, his cheeks flushing softly as his eyes lifted to meet hers, and he smiled softly as she smiled at him. "Y-You know, Roxanne… I… haven't been able to stop thinking about our goodbye after the dance…"

Roxanne's smile warmed at the memory. "Nor have I."

Megamind's eyes flicked uncontrollably to her lips and back again, his tongue peeking between his lips for just a moment as he wet them. Roxanne's heart skipped a beat. She wasn't the only one tempted to repeat the kiss they had shared; he wanted it too. She drew a hair closer to him, hoping to encourage him to kiss her again, but the moment was shattered when the leaves overhead rustled and Minion dropped down between them, an expression on his face like that of an over-protective chaperone as he insisted in a tone so warm it was almost fake, "Well, look at that! Lunch time is almost half over, Sir! You'd better get eating, or you'll miss out!"

Megamind groaned dramatically at the fish, but Roxanne giggled as he flared his fins at her and she got the message. Minion's brown eyes were shouting it loud and clear, "No smooching at school!" She moved an inch away from Megamind to give him room, but the energetic blue teenager was not happy about the interruption and wasn't afraid to make himself heard. "Minion!" he was scolding the fish sharply. "I know what time it is! Didn't I tell you to leave me _alone_ for lunch today?"

Minion didn't miss a beat, obviously well aware of what his orders had been, but ignoring them. "Those were your orders, Sir, but you haven't even touched your lunch yet, and I made it especially for you! Even supervillains have to eat! You need your energy!"

"MINION!" Megamind was shouting at the fish now, his face bright purple in embarrassment as Roxanne couldn't help but giggle from her position beside him. He was trying to push the fish away, but Minion wasn't moving. "Supervillains can take care of themselves! Now leave me be!"

"Yes, well, _this_ supervillain has a habit of going without food when he gets distracted and eating like a panther later," Minion calmly reminded him. Roxanne thought she might die of laughter… "It's not healthy. Now, Sir, are you going to eat, or do I need to make you?"

"I'll eat! I'll eat! Just leave me alone!" Megamind cried, and huffed at the fish as he finally managed to shoo him away, Minion snickering as he scurried up the tree. Megamind shook his head and opened his lunch bag, then shot an embarrassed frown at Roxanne where she was still giggling, scolding her, "It's not funny! It's a serious problem! That fish needs to learn to obey orders!"

Roxanne laughed and remarked, "I think Minion knows what he's doing." Megamind grunted, taking a bite of his sandwich, and she did the same. Smiling at him softly, she asked, "So, supervillain, what's on the evil agenda today?"

Megamind almost choked on his sandwich as he broke out laughing, then grinned at her mischievously, "Oh, wouldn't _you_ like to know!"

"Actually, I would," Roxanne smirked right back at him.

"Ah, ah, ah! I can't reveal my secrets to you, Miss Roxanne Ritchi! Or at least… Not _yet_…" he teased her in a tone so low and almost seductive it sent a shiver of excitement coursing down her spine, his long, thin blue finger wagging in her face as he gazed at her from beneath half-closed eyelids. He bit his lower lip for a moment, then added in a sly purr, "Oh, but in time… You will taste my genius and tremble at my brilliance as my secrets are revealed to you in all their awesome wonder!" He broke out into a deliciously evil cackle, and Roxanne couldn't help but giggle with him.

"All right, Mr. Evil Genius, so I have to wait to see your secrets. What's your big plan for our next date?" Roxanne asked eagerly as soon as he'd finished laughing.

"Ah, yes. To important business," Megamind nodded, his cheeks flushing as he tried to focus on the subject at hand. His eyes locked on hers and he smiled softly. "I've been talking to the warden, but he doesn't believe anyone would be foolish enough to want to date _me_. He is, however, willing to listen to _you_ if you can convince him. You'll need to go down to the prison and talk to him. He should be expecting you."

"All right, so I'll talk to the warden," Roxanne agreed. "Is he going to let you out?"

"I've worked out a deal with him," Megamind informed her with a sigh. "Provided, of course, that you can make him believe you actually care about me and aren't just some part of a plan of mine to break out of prison and go on a crime spree…"

"Easy," Roxanne assured him confidently.

He blinked at her, his cheeks turning an even deeper hue of purple as his smile warmed, then plunged headlong into an explanation, "All right, well, basically, he's willing to let me out on pre-approved nights for a few hours at a time, but I have to do extra work around the prison for it, and I have to follow a strict curfew. If I ever return late, even by a few minutes, he's made it very clear I'll never be allowed out again." He looked her in her eye and insisted, "It'd be worth the humiliation… just to get out of there and spend some time with you alone. It's that, or every date we have will be spent in my cell under the scrutinous eyes of the other inmates, unless some _shool_ function warrants my temporary release, as was the case with the Homecoming dance. Personally, I'd like the freedom to choose where I go with you, rather than have it dictated to me by circumstance… If that's OK with you. I'll do the work."

Roxanne reached over and took his hand in hers, smiling at him warmly as she agreed, "Megamind, as long as you don't mind sacrificing your dignity like that, I'd very much like the freedom to go somewhere with you where we can be alone, any place we choose. I'll talk to the warden tonight and work out the details with him. You'll have your freedom. I promise you that."

"Thank you, Roxanne," Megamind practically breathed the words, his eyes softening as they gazed deep into hers. "I can't wait to spend more time with you away from this miserable _shool_… I had a great time at the dance. And… I want to get to know _you_ better too." Roxanne's heart melted at the sincerity of his words, her lips drifting slowly towards his as though drawn by some irresistible magnet. His eyes slowly began to close as they neared each other, hers closing to savor the moment…

But before their lips could meet, Megamind yelped as something collided with his head and both their eyes snapped open to find the tree surrounded by the worst of the high school's jocks.

As a second rock soared through the air, narrowly missing Megamind's temple and too close for Roxanne's comfort, Megamind instantly jumped to his feet on the branch. "Sorry, Roxanne… Looks like my time's up. I'll lead them away. Climb down when it's safe." Glancing quickly up into the tree, he shouted, "Minion!"

"I'm on it, Sir!" Minion's voice called back, and as Roxanne watched in surprise, Minion's small robotic body fell from the tree limbs to bounce off the troublemakers' heads. Megamind was laughing as his fish scurried through their legs, distracting and disorienting them, then hurried through the tree limbs to leap deftly to the ground a few yards in front of the bullies intent on beating him. Calling back to his fish, he took off at a run, the robotic monkey darting after him and the angry jocks hot on his heels. Carefully climbing out of the tree, Roxanne hoped he escaped them. She wished there were some way he could avoid going through this routine on an almost daily basis…

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><p>That night, Roxanne paid a visit to the Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted and met with the warden. Megamind had not been kidding; the man was certainly shocked and skeptical to hear her claiming to have <em>any<em> kind of romantic interest at all in his most volatile prisoner, and took some convincing to make him believe it. The older man was obviously more prepared to hear stories about Megamind causing trouble than he was to hear about him catching the eye of an innocent young woman. Roxanne spent more time trying to convince him she was not under any form of brainwashing or mind control than she did actually hammering out the details concerning Megamind's temporary release. The brilliant blue convict had obviously already taken care of the details for her; all she had to do was tell the warden what day and time she wanted him, and for how long — provided she _always_ had him back before 11:00pm, and the earlier the better. Eager to see him again outside the confines of the school or prison, she scheduled their next date for the following afternoon.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: There are no warnings for this chapter. I hope you guys like it! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 11**

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><p>The following morning, the rumors were flying even worse than before. They swirled around Roxanne's head like a whirlpool, threatening to drown her in their misery. Her visit with Megamind at lunch the prior day had not gone unnoticed, and the school was now convinced the resident "bad boy" had somehow "corrupted" her into his personal servant. The entire school was now howling for Megamind's blood, certain Metro Man would crush the "evil" blue teenager and free his beloved from whatever devious mechanism was forcing her to stray from his heroic embrace. Roxanne groaned to herself and tried to bury her face behind a textbook to hide the many concerned glances she was getting from the other students in homeroom as she waited patiently for class to begin. Why couldn't they all just keep their long, gossiping noses <em>out<em> of her love life?

She had to resist the urge to roll her eyes as she noticed that once again, when Metro Man arrived to class, he headed straight over to _her_.

"Hey…" Metro Man greeted her gently as she almost glared up at him. "How are you doing?"

"How do you think?" Roxanne huffed at him, gesturing to the wildly gossiping girls around them. "You know, Metro Man, I always hated the rumors they spread about you and me, but this is ridiculous! What business is it of theirs who I dance with or who I eat my lunch with? That's _my_ choice, and I don't appreciate them accusing me of being brainwashed!"

Metro Man looked down on her in sympathy, then knelt down beside her, doing his best to try to appear meek and small, almost insignificant — a hard thing for him to do when his biceps alone kept knocking into the desks around him. "Listen, Roxy… I don't like the rumors either, and I'd very much like to believe there's no truth to them… You're a strong woman. You always have been. It's the quality in you I admire the most… But you're hanging around with a _criminal_…" Roxanne's eyes shot up to meet his and he softened his tone even more. "Roxy, I'm worried about you… I don't want to see you get hurt…"

"And you think you know what's best for me?" Roxanne snapped at him and he blinked. "You think you have the right to tell me who I should be friends with and who I shouldn't, you who have some mysterious history with Megamind you refuse to tell me about? If you're so worried about me, _hero_, why don't you tell me what it is about him that's so terribly bad it's got you shaking in your perfectly polished boots?"

Metro Man actually looked stunned as he stared at her in silence for a moment before responding, "I can see you're angry, but…"

"Of course I'm angry!" Roxanne shouted at him. A part of her couldn't believe she was actually yelling at her closest friend, a man who'd always been there, watching over her shoulder, but she couldn't stop herself. "Who are you to tell me who's good or bad? I can judge that for myself, and so far I seem to be doing a better job of it than any of you! I can watch out for myself! And if I get hurt, so be it! It's not your job to protect me!"

"B-But… Roxy…" Metro Man stammered, obviously shocked by her outburst.

"I believe Miss Ritchi has made herself perfectly clear," Megamind's voice suddenly cut in, a heavy growl from behind the super-powered teenager's shoulder. Metro Man's eyes met his and they frowned at each other, but Megamind refused to budge, crossing his arms over his chest as he insisted, "Leave her be, _hero_."

Metro Man slowly got to his feet, but didn't say a word to Megamind. Turning back to face Roxanne, his eyes suddenly looking very tired and disappointed, he insisted softly, "Roxy… I can tell you need your space right now, so I won't push you. But when you're ready… If you want to talk… You know where to find me. I won't turn you away." Roxanne nodded and he turned to head to his own desk, brushing so roughly past Megamind that the shorter blue alien was almost sent toppling to the ground.

Megamind glared at Metro Man for a moment as he righted himself, and Roxanne could see his jaw clench in what she recognized as a desire to fight the stronger alien. For his sake, she was glad he resisted the temptation, brushing himself off and standing tall as he moved to take his seat beside her. Drawing in a deep, frustrated breath and letting it out slowly, his vivid green eyes met hers as he leaned in to speak in a voice so low only she could hear it, "Roxanne… I think it might be best if we don't meet at lunch today." He frowned around himself at the teenagers daring to whisper about him despite his presence only feet away, adding with a groan, "I'm used to this… But I know you're not. The rumors are bound to get worse as we spend more time together… But if we minimize the time we spend together _here_, perhaps I can save you from some of this misery."

Roxanne frowned and shook her head, determinedly reaching out to rest her hand over his in a gesture she knew would not go unnoticed. As his cheeks colored even more at the action, she insisted, "I don't care about the rumors, Megamind. Let them gape. If you are going to suffer under this kind of brutality, then I will stand beside you. We will face them _together_."

"R-Roxanne…" Megamind gasped, stunned by her sentiment – and the determination with which she had sworn it. "I can't… I mean… Why would you…? You don't need to… Not for _me_…"

Megamind's face was completely flushed purple as he tripped over his own sentences, suddenly unable to form a complete thought as his eyes spoke them for him, and Roxanne's heart constricted in her chest. He wasn't used to anyone standing up for him, that much was obvious… She was probably the first person ever to do so, and certainly the first to do it openly in front of _everyone_. The gesture had stunned him silent and struck him breathless, his eyes refusing to leave hers in apparent disbelief. She smiled at him warmly, squeezing his hand tight where she still held it as she reaffirmed her decision. "No, Megamind. I mean it. You're not alone any more. You have me. We will face these blasted rumors together. They will just have to accept that."

Megamind stared at her in breathless silence for a moment before he seemed able to find his voice again, and when he finally managed to speak, his voice was soft and laden with awe, despite a protective undertone he wasn't able to hide from her. "No… You can't… You can't do that, Roxanne… Not until… Not until you know…" His eyes grew shy and secretive, pulling away from hers, and a heavy sigh escaped his lips as she stared at him in confusion. Until she knew what? Was he hiding something? Before she could ask him what he meant, however, his eyes hardened in determination as he seemed to strike upon an idea, his eyes finally meeting hers again as he instructed her firmly, but gently, "Listen, Roxanne… I'm not going to meet you at lunch today. I don't want to make these rumors worse for you." Roxanne moved to say something, but he shook his enormous blue head and held up his hand in a firm gesture to silence her, his expression unyielding. "No. We'll have the afternoon and this evening together… The warden told me I could leave with you right after _shool_, so meet me out front after detention. There's… something I want to show you." Roxanne was now completely confused, her blossoming reporter's instincts screaming to ask him any of about a hundred different questions, but before she could ask even one, Megamind rose to his feet and gathered his books in his hands. He paused to cast her a look that clearly commanded her not to ask where he was going, then insisted calmly, "Ignore the rumors, Roxanne. We'll handle them together – if that's still what you want after tonight. Out front, after detention. I'll meet you there." Without hesitating another moment, as the teacher began to enter the room, he turned and bolted out into the hall, laughing as Mrs. Green called after him and sentenced him to detention yet again.

Megamind never returned to homeroom.

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><p>Megamind didn't show up for any of his classes that morning. In fact, it was well after lunch before Roxanne even saw him again as he headed out to run laps on the track outside for gym. His vivid green eyes had met hers for a moment as they took their places with their classmates on the track and waited for the teacher's signal to start running, but though his eyes screamed of what she knew was a deeply-rooted fear that she would dump him, he didn't say a word to her. He simply pulled his eyes away, forced his focus ahead of himself to the pavement, and threw himself into the run as though his life depended on it, racing around the track with the intensity of a man desperately trying to distract himself from the thoughts plaguing his mind, but losing the battle no matter how hard he tried. Roxanne simply could not catch up to him, and even if she could, she knew he wouldn't speak to her – yet. Whatever was on that overly-large mind of his was a secret she knew he would only tell her after he got out of detention. She wondered where he meant to take her to discuss it.<p>

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><p>The day dragged by for Roxanne, her classes seeming to take longer than usual as she found herself watching the clock, willing time to go by faster so she could go on her date with Megamind and find out whatever it was he was afraid would scare her away. Instead of speeding up, however, the hands of the clock seemed to slow down to a crawl, dragging out her misery. What on Earth could Megamind's big secret be? She found herself wracking her brain, trying to figure out what it was he was hiding. Had he committed some crime once he hadn't told her about? A theft maybe? She supposed it probably had something to do with the guards' claim that he was an escape artist, which seemed the most likely case. Whatever it was though, she found herself both looking forward to and dreading the revelation… Would his secret be as bad as he thought it was? Would it change how she saw him? Or would it only make her love him even more? She groaned as she eyed the clock again, watching the second hand slowly tick around the face, taunting her. She just wanted to get this over with. She hoped it would end better than Megamind feared.<p>

When the time finally came for Megamind to get out of detention, Roxanne found herself waiting anxiously outside for him exactly as he'd told her to. The big-headed blue alien was obviously just as anxious as she was to get this over with, wasting no time as he hurried out the front door to meet her by the curb, a very serious and determined look in his eyes she hadn't seen before. He wasn't smiling either as he approached her, the corners of his lips turned down in a committed frown as though preparing himself for a blow he wasn't sure he wanted to receive. "Megamind… Megamind, what's wrong?" Roxanne asked gently, her tone soft and concerned as his eyes finally lifted to meet hers as he moved to stand beside her. "You're acting very strangely and it's making me nervous… What's going on?"

Megamind shook his enormous head, his focus seeming to steel as he forced his gaze down the road as though waiting for something. He sighed softly, then insisted in a tone that was measured but calm, "You'll get your answers soon enough, Roxanne… But not here."

Roxanne did her best to hide her frustration, her blossoming reporter skills aching to ask him so many questions she knew he wouldn't yet answer. She would simply have to be patient. "So… Should I get my car?" she asked in a voice she hoped hid her curiosity well enough from his attentive ears, but the fear in his eyes didn't fade, and she knew he'd caught the undertone despite her attempts to mask it.

The blue teenager shook his huge bald head and insisted simply, "That won't be necessary." Roxanne blinked at him, unsure what he planned to do, but before she could move to say a word in response, she was startled to hear what sounded like a car speeding towards them – but there was no car in sight! As the sound of tires screeching to a halt assaulted her ears, Megamind stepped forward towards the curb expectantly. Roxanne couldn't help but gasp when she saw a door appear out of what seemed to be thin air, opening exactly where the driver's side door would be in a car as Minion stepped out in a body totally unlike the one she was used to seeing him in… Instead of the usual small monkey body, his glass dome was now housed in a huge robotic gorilla body – and he looked concerned as he rushed around what she was beginning to realize was an _invisible car_ and straight towards his boss. "Minion! You're late!" the blue alien was scolding him as Roxanne could do little but stare at the two in open-mouthed shock. First Megamind shows up to take her to the Homecoming dance on a flying jet-bike, and now _this_? "I told you to be here _ten minutes_ ago!"

"Sir! Sir, I'm telling you, this is a mistake!" Minion protested, pleading with his master as Roxanne began to realize the two seemed to be at odds today for some reason… She'd never seen them fight before… The oddly intelligent fish frowned at her for a moment as she blinked at him, flaring his fins in an obviously agitated manner, then focused back on Megamind. "You can't do this! You've worked too hard…"

Megamind's face instantly flushed purple as he shouted roughly back at the fish that had always been his best friend, "I know what I am doing, Minion! We've already discussed this!"

"But, Sir!" Minion pressed him anyway. "You have to trust me on this! You can't trust her! She's…"

"MINION!" Megamind's voice boomed at the fish in a tone of unquestionable authority, daring him to challenge him again. Minion seemed to shrink away from his anger into the bottom of his bowl as the blue teenager growled, "It is NOT your place to question my orders! You are simply to _obey_ them! If you dare to question me again, I will turn you into _cat food_! Is that clear?"

Minion's voice seemed unusually small when he replied meekly, "Y-Yes, Sir…"

"Good," Megamind practically snapped, snatching the keys from the fish's robotic hand. Holding his head high in a very confident fashion, he instructed Minion as he stalked his way around the car, "Now, you have tasks to complete, I believe? That body should be more suitable to accomplishing them. Get to it! You have your orders, and I trust you can follow them as I have laid them out. Is that right, Minion?"

Minion nodded, slowly floating back up from the bottom of his dome. "Yes, Sir. I will carry out your orders. I will not let you down."

Megamind nodded in satisfaction, then gestured to the fish in dismissal as he commanded, "See that you don't! Now get moving! I have business to attend to with Roxanne."

"Yes, Sir," Minion obediently nodded, then pausing only to cast Roxanne a wary look she didn't quite understand, he hurried off down the road to carry out whatever orders Megamind had given him.

Roxanne's attention was drawn away from the fleeing robotic body of the alien fish as she heard Megamind sigh from across the invisible car in her direction. Meeting his brilliant green eyes with hers, she noted he seemed even more anxious than before as he apologized for his friend, "You'll have to forgive Minion… He's, uh… a little over-protective at times, but we look out for each other." He gestured towards where the passenger side door would be and insisted, "Please… Get in. We'll be leaving in just a moment." Without another word, he disappeared inside the invisible vehicle and closed the door, vanishing entirely from view.

Roxanne hesitated for a moment, unsure what to think of the scene she had just witnessed. Whatever Megamind planned to do with her, it was obvious Minion did not approve, despite his eventual submission to her blue boyfriend's stern commands. Megamind was definitely anxious, but considering how hard it was for her to convince him she actually cared about him in the first place and how convinced he seemed to be she needed to know his secrets before committing herself to defending him, it was exactly the reaction she would expect from him. He was nervous, yes, but would he actually hurt her? She just couldn't bring herself to believe he could be dangerous. Shaking her head to shake off her own anxiety, she drew in a deep breath, stepped forwards until she could feel the invisible car's door, and finding the handle, opened it and got inside.

Megamind watched her in silence as she closed the door behind her, her sharp eyes scanning over the car's interior with an intense curiosity. The upholstery was entirely black leather, the console custom-designed to house all sorts of unusual lights, switches, and controls the likes of which she'd never before seen. "Wow, Megamind, this is… This is _impressive_!" Roxanne couldn't help but compliment him, her eyes finally meeting his in awe. "Did you build this yourself?"

Megamind nodded his oversized head, a small smile reappearing on his lips as he couldn't resist the urge to brag about his accomplishments. "Oh, of course! Well, the frame is off a man-made machine, but I've completely redesigned it. You'd be amazed at what this baby can do! The invisibility mode is only one of its features, but a very important one!" He bit his lip for a moment, his smile fading, then cleared his throat anxiously as the nerves reappeared in his eyes. He glanced away for a moment, then asked softly, "Roxanne… Did… Did you mean what you said earlier today?"

As Megamind's vivid green eyes met hers, the expression on his face strained and obviously doubtful, almost sad, Roxanne realized there was no doubt in her mind what her answer was and had to be. "Every word of it," she insisted, her tone as steady as a rock.

Megamind's gaze remained fixed on her eyes as though trying to read the sincerity of her statement as he asked again, clearly testing her commitment, "You would really be willing to stand against those mindless drones, against _Metro Man_, with _me_?"

Roxanne smiled at him gently, reaching out to rest her hand over his as she insisted honestly, "Yes, Megamind. I will stand beside you."

A weak smile slowly pulled at the corners of Megamind's lips as he blushed, his eyes refusing to leave hers as he seemed to lose the ability to talk for just a moment. His gaze dropped to where her hand rested over his, his hand shifting until he could squeeze the tips of her fingers gently in a gesture of speechless affection that wasn't lost on Roxanne. Smiling warmly at him, she waited patiently for him to recover his voice, squeezing his hand tenderly back as he finally lifted his eyes back to hers and practically whispered, "You'd be the first to ever say that to me… I want to believe you." He sighed as she blinked at him, dropping her hand to fish for something in his pocket. "I need to show you something," he insisted as he rummaged through his pockets. "Something _important_. Oh, blast! Where'd I put that thing?" Roxanne tried not to laugh as he gave up on his pockets, squirming around in his seat to lean over it to the backseat where he'd tossed his bag. The future reporter tried desperately not to stare at his firm, round backside as he began to dig through his things, his voice drifting steadily back to her. "Minion doesn't think I should show you, but I think he's wrong. If you're going to stand with me against these dim-witted buffoons, then you should know… Ah! Got it!"

Roxanne was completely unprepared for what he had been looking for.

When Megamind turned back around in his seat, a sly grin on his lips despite the anxiety that still haunted his eyes, he held in his hands what was obviously a black blindfold. Roxanne's eyes widened as she saw it and he cleared his throat, explaining in a hurry, "I have to blindfold you, Roxanne. I'm sorry, but I can't let you see where we're going. I promise I won't hurt you."

Roxanne stared at Megamind in a mix of sudden anxiety and uncertainty. He had to _blindfold_ her? Why? "Where are you taking me?" she asked suddenly, her voice coming out a bit more nervously than she'd intended. "Why can't I see where we're going?"

Megamind sighed, huffing a little in frustration. He was obviously impatient to get going… "You'll understand when we get there," he insisted simply, his tone a heavy groan. "Look, the location must remain a secret, even to you, at least for now. Once I know how you feel about it… Well, we'll see how this goes." His eyes grew pleading, his grip on the blindfold tightening as he inched in a little closer to her and insisted, "Roxanne… I want to believe what you said to me this morning, but I can't let you make that choice until you see what I need to show you. You're just going to have to trust me on this… If you want to know my secrets, you have to let me blindfold you."

Roxanne stared into his eyes in obvious uncertainty. She had always felt as though she could trust him, but the blindfold and the apparent secrecy of their destination and whatever secrets he was hiding there unnerved her. Even so, his eyes were nervous, pleading with her to let him do what he needed to do, pleading with her to trust him. She could see his anxiety level rising with every second of her silence, his eyes betraying a deeply-rooted fear he was trying to ignore that she would leave him screaming and never look back. As she gazed into his vivid green eyes and watched him lick his lips, barely breathing, it slowly dawned on her that blindfold or not, he was trying to open up to her… To let her in to see his deepest secrets, the secrets he'd probably never shared with anyone apart from Minion. Whatever his secrets were, he wanted to share them with her, even against the advice of his best friend and confidante. He was risking everything on the gamble that he could let her into his secrets and she wouldn't hurt him with whatever she found there… Sighing softly, her decision made, she tried to relax in her seat as she gave in, "Fine… You can blindfold me then." He smiled and moved to bring the blindfold to her eyes, but suddenly getting an idea, she stopped him as she pointed a finger at him and stipulated in as serious a tone as she could muster, "_BUT_ in return, you owe me an ice cream sundae!"

Megamind chuckled softly as he realized she was teasing him, his cheeks flushing a soft shade of purple as a mischievous grin broke out on his lips and he conceded, "Roxanne, I promise you, if you see my secrets and still want my company, I will buy you all the ice cream _sundies_ you want." Roxanne smirked and nodded at him, then closed her eyes as he brought the blindfold to them and gently fastened it behind her head. When he'd finished tying it in place, he asked softly, "Is it too tight?"

Roxanne shook her head. "No. It's fine."

"Can you see anything?" Megamind asked, obviously testing her range of vision. She could hear his arms moving as she assumed he was waving his hands in front of her face.

"No, I can't see anything," Roxanne assured him.

"Good," Megamind breathed in relief, then fastened her seatbelt for her before strapping himself in. "Then we can be on our way!"


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: No warnings for this chapter. I hope you guys like it! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 12**

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><p>The drive had been slightly unsettling for Roxanne. Blindfolded and unable to see where they were going or when they were turning, every time the car rounded a bend or made a turn, she found herself jumping and bracing herself against it. She could tell from the roar of the engine that Megamind was speeding, swerving through traffic when necessary, and she wondered if half the turns he made were simply to throw her off-track if she was trying to memorize the route. Halfway through the trip she gave up trying to figure out where they were and just trusted him to take her to their destination safely. After all, she certainly had no idea where they were heading…<p>

When at last the car pulled to a stop, Roxanne began to reach towards her blindfold just to feel Megamind's hand on hers to stop her. "No… Not yet," he insisted, then once he was sure she would leave the blindfold in place, he opened his door and stepped out, the door closing behind him. Expecting to be guided out of the car immediately, she fumbled for the release on her seatbelt, pressing the button that removed the restraint. She waited for a moment, expecting to hear her door open, but the sound that greeted her ears was unlike anything she'd ever heard before… It was almost like a mechanical bark, a sort of "Bowg Bowg" kind of noise, but it wasn't alone… The sound was coming from multiple sources, and in the middle of it all she could hear Megamind laughing, "Did you miss your Daddy? Who's a menacing little cyborg? Yes, you are! Now go! Go on! I'll call you soon. Shoo! You heard me!"

Roxanne had no idea what to make of the sounds, but she assumed she would find out soon enough as the passenger door finally opened and she felt Megamind's suddenly gloved hand resting over hers. "All right, Roxanne. You can get out now. Here, let me help," he insisted as he gently helped her to step out of the car, closing the door behind her. He guided her a few steps away, then asked her in a voice that was trying to sound confident despite the note of anxiety hidden within, "OK, Roxanne, are you ready to see my greatest secret?"

Roxanne swallowed hard as she prepared herself for anything. "Somehow at this point I don't think I have any choice, but yes, Megamind. Show me all your secrets."

With one swift, fluid motion, Megamind untied and removed the blindfold from before her eyes, tossing it aside as he danced out in front of her, his arms spread wide in a dramatic gesture to encompass their surroundings, a devilishly proud grin on his face as he announced, "Welcome to the Evil Lair, my base of operations!"

Roxanne was stunned speechless. She was standing inside a huge warehouse filled with countless machines, inactive robots, blinking lights, and control panels. Everywhere her eyes turned, she was met with technology unlike anything she'd ever seen, gadgets the purpose of which she couldn't even guess, crates upon crates of spare parts, and inventions in various states of completion. But the one thing she couldn't help but notice about almost everything she saw was a similar trend towards being dangerous… Saw blades and spikes decorated many of the contraptions, flames were emblazoned on the hulls of others, whether to signify a flammable component or for decoration she did not know. Everything had a sharp, evil, almost sinister look to it, a fact which sent a shiver down her spine. Even when she looked back to Megamind himself, noting he was dressed once again in the very same supervillain's outfit he'd worn to the Homecoming dance, it was difficult not to recognize the same pattern in the spikes on his cape and gloves, or even, as she noted in slight dismay, in the unnerving appearance of a weapon that looked strangely like some sort of gun now strapped to his right thigh in a black leather holster, ready for use at any moment should he need it. The air around them was cool, damp, and dimly lit, and Roxanne couldn't help but take a step backwards as she felt her heart begin to race. This _couldn't_ be what she feared it was… It just _couldn't_ be! "What is all of this?" she found herself asking, her eyes finally fixing on his.

Megamind began to laugh, a terribly wicked cackle, then span around as he gestured to his creations in pride. "These are the brilliant culminations of my evil genius!" He ran over to one of his inventions, picking up a remote control. "Behold, the Flame Thrower of Doom!" He pressed a button on the remote and a device dropped down from the ceiling, a huge stream of flame shooting from its nozzle as Roxanne jumped in surprise. Just as quickly as it had begun, it stopped and lifted back up to the ceiling as Megamind dashed over to his next invention with all the enthusiasm of a kid in a candy store. "But that's not all! How about _this_?" he grinned, pressing a button on a control panel that called forth two very large and deadly-looking spinning saw blades. Megamind was laughing, obviously enjoying himself despite his girlfriend's apparent discomfort, and as he turned the saw blades off, he beamed in pride as he drew the gun at his hip and gave it a delighted spin. "And if you thought _that_ was impressive, just wait until you see _this_!" He cast Roxanne a coy glance as he held up the weapon for her to see, showing it off. "This is my dehydration gun! It can dehydrate _anything at all_ into a tiny cube, even animate objects! Watch!" Without any warning at all, he aimed and fired at something right beside her, and she yelped, jumping as the now visible car suddenly shrunk into a small, shimmering blue cube on the floor. The grin on Megamind's lips was smug as he sauntered over to her with a glass of water in his hand. "Watch this!" he insisted, then tossed the contents of the glass onto the glowing cube. It shuttered for a moment, then popped back into the vehicle, every detail exactly as it had been as though nothing had ever happened. Megamind turned to face Roxanne, his eyes terribly excited as he eagerly explained, "It does the very same thing to _living beings_! I can dehydrate whatever I want, stick it in my pocket, and rehydrate it later at my own convenience! Oh, but this baby does more than just dehydrate… I have multiple settings I can use, one of which is destroy, a setting which will blow up anything I shoot with the power of dynamite!" He chuckled wickedly, then admitted, "I mostly use the dehydration setting though. Oh! But don't think I can only build devices! I have made all kinds of robots, and you must meet my brainbots! Brainbots! Come to Daddy!"

As Roxanne watched in breathless shock, a swarm of chattering, glowing mechanical creatures suddenly descended upon them from above, all of them barking in that strange "Bowg Bowg" sound she had heard from within the car. Their clear domes glowed and sparked in the same way a plasma ball would, all but one glowing blue while the other glowed pink. All of them had long, spiked tendrils hanging beneath their domes like tentacles or arms, their domes decorated with sharp almost shark-like fins, while dangerous-looking and sharp metal jaws opened and closed in an almost excited frenzy as the strange creations circled around their creator in an almost affectionate way, some of the brainbots rubbing up against him to be petted. Megamind was laughing, his features softening at their attentions, his long, thin fingers gladly stroking the domes of the creatures before finally letting one settle in his arms to be held. It practically purred as he petted it, his eyes lit up as he focused back on Roxanne and commented, "They're the perfect subjects to do my evil bidding. They're smart enough to carry out my orders without question, and loyal enough to do whatever I say. They're my sentries, my muscle, my companions, and my eyes. They have many uses." The brainbot in his arms bowged at him and he chuckled, amending, "Yes, yes, and they're fun to play with. Not to mention deadly in their own right." He laughed as he let the brainbot go, it and the others flying off to hover at a distance at a signal from their master.

Roxanne suddenly found herself at a loss for what to say. Megamind was obviously now waiting for her reaction, but she found herself totally overwhelmed by everything she had just seen. When she could finally find her voice, she asked in disbelief, "How did you build all of this? When? You live in a _prison_!"

Megamind shrugged and chuckled, smirking cryptically, "Do you really think any prison could hold _me_? I've been breaking out of that place since I was five years old, practicing my skills and building my arsenal. Escaping is easy."

Roxanne stared at him in shock, suddenly feeling as though she had received a blow to the gut as her heart began to fill with dread. No wonder the guards didn't trust him… They couldn't hold him… But the question she had to ask was the one she least wanted an answer to. "Your _arsenal_? What is it all for?"

Megamind broke out into a very villainous laugh before answering as though it were obvious, "Why, to take over _Metrocity_ and destroy Metro Man, of course!"

Roxanne suddenly felt faint. Staggering on her feet just a little bit, she braced herself against the invisible car as she found herself gasping, "Oh, my gosh! You don't just fancy yourself a supervillain, you actually _are_ one!"

Megamind nodded his oversized head as he seemed to suddenly sober, his eyes growing nervous as he studied her every action closely while she took in the news. "Yes, Roxanne… I am. I tried to warn you. I'm bad to the bone… This is my destiny." He paused for a moment, shifting on his feet as his eyes fell to the floor, and Roxanne saw him swallow hard before he licked his lips in obvious anxiety, raising his eyes back to hers to ask in a very soft voice, "Do you… Do you still want to stand beside me?"

Roxanne simply could not believe what she was seeing and hearing. Megamind was standing right in front of her, admitting to having a genuine ambition to ruling the world and killing her best friend, and yet the look in his eyes still seemed more like a puppy who'd been beaten so many times he was just waiting for the boot to fall again. None of this fit with the Megamind she knew, none of this fit with the man she had danced with, the man who had kissed her so tenderly it had made her knees turn to jelly and her heart melt. "No!" she cried, shaking her head in vehement refusal to believe any of it. "No, this isn't you!" Megamind blinked, his gaze falling as his shoulders drooped, and she knew he thought she was dumping him. Steeling her resolve, Roxanne determinedly walked straight up to him, and as he blinked at her in surprise, she reached out and grabbed his dehydration gun, throwing it aside. He shouted in protest, but her mind was made up. Advancing on him steadily as he began to back away from her, she insisted as she reached out and took hold of the clasp on the collar of his cape, "_You_ are not evil!" Managing to unfasten the clasp, she shoved the collar roughly back off him as his eyes widened, his cheeks flushing a deep shade of purple as she tackled the cape next. "The Megamind _I_ know is brilliant and sweet!" The cape fell at his feet and he nearly tripped over it, completely stunned to find himself being backed into a wall by his feisty girlfriend.

"R-Roxanne… Please…" Megamind pleaded as he found himself with nowhere left to back up to and a very angry-looking Roxanne staring him in the face.

Roxanne had no intentions of backing off though. She'd seen his "evil villain" act before, and she'd also seen him at his most gentle. He had brought her here to learn his secrets, and that was exactly what she meant to do. Reaching out to take hold of one his hands, she grabbed the glove and began to pull it off. "The Megamind _I_ know is better than this!" she cried, yanking the glove off and throwing it aside. Grabbing hold of the other glove, she pulled it off too as she nearly choked while shouting at him, "And the Megamind I _kissed_ was far too gentle and tender to be any kind of a villain!" Megamind looked suddenly as though he were about to cry, his body trembling in obvious submission to her advances as she suddenly wondered, staring at him in only his spandex suit and boots, all his protection gone, if he had feared she intended to strip him naked. Her anger slowly subsiding, she softened her gaze as she brought a hand to his cheek, gazing deep into his eyes as he blushed furiously. She shook her head once and asked, her voice barely more than a whisper, "How can you stand there and tell me that the man I know, the man I've fallen so hard for is something so different from everything I've seen of him that I don't know him at all?"

Megamind's eyes raised breathlessly to hers as he blinked and practically breathed the words, "You… You've _fallen_… for _me_?"

Roxanne could feel her own cheeks burning slightly as she nodded, her eyes soft, but serious. "Yes, Megamind. I have." Her hand slowly dropped from his cheek as she added softly, "But now I'm wondering if I know you at all."

Megamind squeezed his eyes shut, obviously trying to restrain the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. His body stopped trembling, and when he opened his eyes again, he reached out to place his hands on her shoulders, holding her gently but firmly as he insisted, "You know me now, Roxanne… That's why I brought you here, so you can learn my secrets! Please don't turn your back on me… Like all the others…" His gaze dropped as his hands fell away from her to his sides. "I couldn't bear it…"

Though Megamind couldn't seem to say anything further, what he really wanted to say was written clearly in his eyes for Roxanne to see as his brilliant green orbs shyly lifted to meet hers again. He loved her. He loved her just as surely as she loved him, and the fact made her heart soar. Despite everything he had told her and everything she had seen, she knew deep down she still loved him, and the fear in his eyes that his affection would mean nothing to her now made her heart ache. "Hey…" she spoke to him in a soothing voice, lifting her hand to run tenderly back across his cheek as she smiled at him gently. "You haven't lost me yet, but I do want some answers. Can you give them to me?"

Megamind licked his lips anxiously and nodded, agreeing softly, "That's why I brought you here, Roxanne. I'll tell you anything you want to know. I… I want you to know _me_."

"Good, then let's start by making a nice cup of hot chocolate," Roxanne insisted, taking his hand in hers to guide him away from the wall. "I think we both could use a pick-me-up before we begin."

"Sounds good to me," Megamind sighed in relief, then led the way to the Evil Lair's kitchen.

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><p>Though Megamind seemed to be at a total loss as to where things were in the kitchen, it wasn't very hard for Roxanne to find her own way around. Minion obviously did all or most of the cooking and was a very organized fish, keeping the kitchen in a neat, clean, and orderly manner. Roxanne had the hot chocolate ready in no time.<p>

Setting one cup down on the small table in front of Megamind, she took a seat across from him and watched as he took a sip and practically melted at the taste. "Mmmmm… Oh, that's divine…" he purred, looking like a happy puddle of goo, his bare hands wrapped around the cup and relishing the warmth it radiated out to them. "Roxanne, you make a superb cup of cocoa!"

"Some supervillain," Roxanne teased the obviously delighted blue alien, trying not to laugh as he shot her an unamused glare as she took a sip of her own hot chocolate. Setting her cup down in front of her, she cupped her own hands around it in much the same fashion as her dashingly dangerous boyfriend and focused her attention on him as she asked, "All right, Megamind. I want to know everything, why you seem to think you're somehow 'destined' to be a supervillain, why you decided to become one in the first place, what your history is with Metro Man, why all the animosity… All of it. I need to understand you. Outside of this place, you don't seem very dangerous to me… Even here you seem far too gentle to be a villain at all. Villains don't turn into happy puddles of mush when their girlfriends give them hot cocoa."

Megamind just shot her a smug grin and countered, "Villains can melt at whatever they want."

"Villains don't get backed into walls and disarmed by soon-to-be reporters, either," Roxanne shot back, and giggled as he frowned at her, practically pouting. "Now, come on. Tell me everything."

"Where should I start?" Megamind asked, poking idly at his cup.

"Start at the beginning. Does Metro Man have anything to do with all of this?" Roxanne asked, somehow knowing her friend probably played a much larger role in shaping Megamind's choice of career than he would ever admit.

Megamind broke out laughing, fixing her with an impressed eye as he insisted, "Oh, Roxanne, you are a sharp one, I'll give you that! Yes, this has a lot to do with that muscle-brained oaf, and his adoring throng of mindless drones." He took a long sip of his cocoa, then grew serious. "All right, Roxanne. You want me to start from the beginning? Then that's where I will begin. It's where my story starts anyway. It all began that fateful day when I was only eight days old and still living with my parents…"

"Eight _days_ old?" Roxanne couldn't help but interrupt him in shocked disbelief. "You have memories from when you were only _eight days old_?"

Megamind nodded his enormous head and smirked at her, "Oh, yes. I remember everything, from the day I was born until now. Never underestimate my amazing intellect, Roxanne. My superior memory is only one of my amazing talents!"

Roxanne shook her head, giggling softly, then gestured for him to continue. "Go on."

"Well, that was the day it all began," Megamind picked up where he left off, his eyes growing distant. "Our world was being torn apart by a black hole."

"Oh, no… That's awful…" Roxanne muttered under her breath, unable to stop the remark from slipping past her lips.

Megamind nodded slowly. "I still remember the chaos… Everyone was running, screaming… My parents placed me in my pod and gave me Minion and my binkey for the trip. I remember they were holding each other as I blasted off, leaving them and my doomed planet behind, the only member of my species to escape that awful fate… Of course, another kid from a nearby planet in the Glaupunk Quadrant apparently had the exact same idea…"

Roxanne blinked as she realized it could only be one person. "Metro Man?"

Megamind nodded. "Yes. Mr. Goody Two Shoes was fleeing the black hole as well, and his pod sped right into mine, knocked it off-course into an asteroid field. And do you know what he did? I saw him through the windows of our pods, and that little twerp stuck his tongue out at me!" He threw his hands up in the air dramatically in frustration. "He had it out for me from the very start, I swear!" He drew in a deep breath to calm himself, then went on. "In any case, though my journey to this planet was far less comfortable than his was as I bumped into and through too many asteroids to count, we arrived here on Earth at the same time. My pod was actually heading towards this beautiful mansion on the top of a hill, a life filled with luxury and comfort… But at the last minute, Mr. Goody Two Shoes bumped into me again, sending me to crash into the prison while he took the mansion for himself. I guess even Fate picks its favorites…"

Megamind lifted the cocoa to his lips, pulling in a deep sip before sighing in delight. "Mmmm… So good. Anyway, don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining. The prisoners found me and raised me. By the time I was a year old I was already building objects of mayhem!" He laughed mischievously at the memory. "Oh, I'll never forget the look on the warden's face when I rode my license plate tricycle through the cell block, blasting open all the cell doors and breaking through the wall… Now that was a fun day! Though I didn't quite understand why he was so mad at the time… I was having fun!"

Roxanne shook her head, feeling her anger rise at the idea of raising a child in a prison again. "I still can't believe you don't understand how much of an outrage it is to raise a child in a prison, let alone one as bright as you obviously are! It's no wonder you broke out! You needed to get out and play just like any normal child, human or not!"

Megamind grinned to himself in satisfaction, relaxing back in his chair as he folded his arms across his chest, raised an eyebrow at her, and asked in a mix of both amusement and awe, "Are you sure you don't want to be my Evil Queen, Roxanne? The perks could be great…"

Roxanne snickered and insisted, "We'll see. Go on."

"My first few years were spent like that, but when I turned five, I was given time off for good behavior and was given a chance to better myself at a strange place called '_shool_,'" Megamind continued. "And that's where I bumped into Mr. Goody Two Shoes again."

Roxanne blinked, stunned. "You went to school with Metro Man before? As children?"

Megamind nodded, sighing, his spirits quickly dropping. "Yes. He had already amassed a gigantic army of soft-headed groupies… He bought their affections with showmanship and extravagant gifts of deliciousness. I wanted so badly to fit in, so I decided that I, too, would make this '_pop-ed_ corn' and win their affections through demonstrations of my brilliance! But it, uh… Didn't quite work out the way I'd planned…"

"What happened?" Roxanne prompted him as she watched him shrink in his seat, his eyes growing more and more sad by the minute.

"It exploded," Megamind answered sadly, his eyes on the table. "I had built Minion his first body. It was a rudimentary thing, really… Completely remote controlled by me, but unlike Mr. Goody Two Shoes' demonstration with his laser vision, when my laser hit the corn it just blew up instead of popping. I tried to stop it myself, but Metro Boy stuck me in the corner and took all the praise for himself… It was always that way."

Megamind sighed softly and pushed his cup away, suddenly uninterested in its contents. "I learned that day a very hard lesson… Good receives all the praise and adulation, while Evil is sent to quiet time in the corner. Fitting in was never an option. Not for me. No one was impressed by my genius, or my technological prowess… While they all learned to sing the itsy-bitsy spider, I sat in the back and learned how to dehydrate animate objects and rehydrate them at will. Some days it felt as though it were just me and Minion against the world…"

Megamind's eyes finally met hers again, but the look within them was so deeply lonely and sad it broke her heart as he went on, "No matter how hard I tried, I was always the odd man out, the last one picked for everything, the screw up, the black sheep, the bad boy. I tried so many times to win their affection, but it made no difference. They took pleasure from lobbing dodge balls at my head and laughing at me… Anything I tried to do to protect myself only got me in trouble. One day I invented a helmet that deflected their dodge balls back at them, and though it worked like a charm, the balls broke a window and I was blamed for it… Metro Boy delighted in dumping me in the corner yet again… As the teacher pinned yet another gold star to his perfectly ironed shirt, I watched from the corner and began to wonder if this was my destiny… And that's when it hit me: It was. And if I was the bad boy, I was going to be the baddest boy of them all!" He chuckled wickedly as Roxanne blinked, then informed her, "I was set on the path to becoming a supervillain that day. Metro Boy had pushed me around enough. I mixed up a paint bomb that turned everyone blue and was expelled immediately. Mr. Goody Two Shoes picked up the _shool_house and flew off with it, and I watched all hope of ever being accepted on this planet fly away with him. My destiny was determined that day as he stuck his tongue out at me yet _again_. He is good; I am evil. It's my destiny to become a supervillain!"

Roxanne shook her head, feeling her anger rise as she realized how badly her friend had bullied the blue alien. "So you're saying you're evil because of _Metro Man_? No, Megamind, you can't honestly believe that you're incurably bad!"

Megamind looked at her with an expression of utter patience. "But, Roxanne, I _am_… Everything I've ever done has been bad… Even as an infant I was always in trouble, destroying things, causing breakouts… I'm a _villain_! It's my _destiny_!" He sighed softly as he muttered, "Metro Man got the hero role, Roxanne. There's nothing else left for me. This is the only path Fate has given me. I will be the greatest supervillain this world has ever seen, and I will crush Metro Man under my boot as the citizens of _Metrocity_ bow before my evil genius and give me the respect I deserve!"

"But, Megamind, you're brilliant!" Roxanne protested, desperately trying to get him to see some alternative path he hadn't considered. "You're so much better than _this_! You could be a scientist… Or an inventor! You could give the people technology that would make their lives so much better!"

At this Megamind frowned, his eyes flashing angrily as he snarled, "Why should _I_ give these mindless drones anything but the iron-clad grip of my ruthless rule? Why should _I_ do anything _but_ terrorize them? What have _they_ ever done for _me_? No, Roxanne. I will _not_ make _their_ lives _easier_ when they've gone out of their way to make _mine_ miserable! I will take what I want from them and let them quake in fear at my awesome power and magnificence! It is my destiny to rule them, and rule them I shall when I crush Metro Man and take this city for my own!"

Roxanne buried her forehead in her hand as she tried desperately to think through a haze of anger and frustration. All she found herself wanting to do was talk to Metro Man, see if she couldn't somehow get one or both of them to see reason… Megamind was obviously convinced he had no other choice but to be the villain, but she could tell even through his determined speeches that beneath all the villainous bravado he'd obviously been practicing over the years lied a man whose only wish was to be accepted and maybe even loved by the people who'd always rejected him. Metro Man, on the other hand, was an entirely different story… Always handed everything on a silver platter, the super-powered teenager seemed completely convinced of his invulnerability to everything including blame. She had no doubt he had probably bullied Megamind exactly as he claimed he had, and probably felt no shame in it. Even so, she had to hear it from his perfectly chiseled lips. Standing to her feet, she looked Megamind in the eye and pleaded as she realized he suddenly looked anxious again, "Megamind, I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have to go…" He opened his mouth to protest, obviously fearing the worst, but she moved quickly to place a finger upon his lips to silence him. "It's not what you think," she assured him, her eyes meeting his. She smiled at him softly, allowing her hand to drift from his lips back across his huge head, watching the soft blush of his cheeks reappear as they colored a light shade of purple. "You've given me so much to think about now, and I have to get Metro Man to start talking."

"But, Metro Man is…!" Megamind began, but he found her finger on his lips again, cutting him off.

"My friend," Roxanne finished his sentence for him. His eyes grew anxious, and she knew what he was afraid of. "Don't worry, I won't tell him what you're planning here, or anything that might help him find this place," she promised, smiling softly as she saw his eyes flood with relief. "I think it's safe to assume at this point your attendance at school is a cover, am I right?"

Megamind nodded. "That's right. It was only one step in my plan, but the pieces are all in place now… Except for you. I want you by my side when I attack him… Not standing in my way."

Roxanne sighed and shook her head. "I can't make you any promises, but I can ask you for one." He blinked at her and she looked him seriously in the eye. "Please… Whatever you're planning, hold off on it. Don't attack, don't do anything foolish. Just keep attending school with me for a while. Let me try to work this out, see if I can't get the others to accept you… Let me try to prove to you that you don't need to be a villain at all, that your destiny is _greater_ than that."

Megamind groaned in obvious impatience. "But, Roxanne, my diabolical plan is all ready to go! I can't stand to play nice with that overgrown oaf any longer! I want to fight him! I want to crush him! I want to FIGHT! I want to…" He was cut off suddenly when he found Roxanne's lips pressing firmly against his…

Roxanne could almost literally feel Megamind's frustration drain out of him as she kissed him, the blue teenager melting beneath her where he still sat, his hands finding her waist to rest gently there. He had been getting more and more agitated, and though it seemed a dirty trick, she had known a kiss would calm him down. It had worked like a charm, and she had finally found an excuse to kiss him again after all this time. He moaned softly into her mouth and her heart leapt in her chest. No, this was no supervillain. This was simply a brilliant but gentle man who was merely tired of being beaten down and playing the only role he felt he was being given. When she finally pulled her lips from his, she knew the separation had been reluctant on both their parts, but she also knew it had to be done. "I know you're frustrated," she whispered to him softly, gladly indulging herself in another brief taste of his soft, wet blue lips. "But promise me? Please?"

"You drive a hard bargain, Miss Ritchi…" Megamind purred against her lips, breathing deeply as he savored her scent. "I can't bear to see you the subject of ridicule at _shool_… By delaying my attack, I must leave you open to their cruelty, which doesn't please me at all."

So that was it. It was as though a light bulb had just turned on in Roxanne's head as she allowed her lips to hover near his, breathing just as deeply of his own musky scent as he was of hers. He had obviously been planning this for some time, years perhaps, but after they had kissed the first time, he had said he didn't want to lose his privileges. He was smart enough, she knew, to know that if he were to try to attack the city he would be locked up for a lifetime with no hope of release, but the way the others had been treating _her_ had inspired him to fight _for_ her and deal with the consequences. Rather than villainous, now that she had determined the true motive behind his desire to attack, she couldn't help but feel the gesture chivalrous… Even if the method was anything but. Grazing his lips with hers one more time, she breathed against him, "Mmmm… My hero." She giggled softly as she saw his lips twitch upwards slightly, his cheeks flushing at the term, and she knew he had liked it despite his insistence on being the villain. His eyes were shining again, and unable to resist the temptation, she kissed his lips just one more time, savoring the purr of delight it pulled from deep in his throat. "Even so, we can stand against them together without any villainy or fighting," she insisted when she finally pulled back, looking him deep in the eye as she was relieved to find he was listening. "You told me the other night that you don't want to lose your privileges. I don't want to see you lose them. I'm just getting to know the real you, and I have to tell you, Megamind…" She leaned in to whisper the words into his slightly pointed ear, "_I like what I see_." He was struck totally breathless by the time she pulled back to look into his eyes again, and she ran a hand affectionately back across his jaw. "It's true. I do. And I want to see _more_ of you, not less. Please don't do anything that will take you away from me before I can even have a chance to prove to you that you don't have to be the villain. Promise me that, Megamind. I don't want to lose you. Not now."

Megamind didn't respond at first, though his hand moved to rest over where hers still remained on his cheek. His fingers slowly closed around hers, bringing them from his cheek to his lips where he kissed them so tenderly Roxanne feared her legs would give way beneath her as they practically liquefied where she stood. His eyes were closed as he pressed his lips to her hand, and when they finally opened again and met hers, they were shining as he smiled at her so warmly her heart melted. "Minion was wrong," he stated simply. "I knew it wouldn't be a mistake to bring you here. You're the only human to have ever given me a chance, let alone to have… Well, to enjoy my company, and to let me…" His entire face flushed a deep purple as his eyes drifted to her lips, and he cleared his throat as he tried to regain his composure. "I don't want to lose you either, Roxanne. I will do what you ask… I will delay the attack. But one of these days I will have to go through with it… You know that."

Roxanne giggled softly, flicking him playfully on the nose. "That's what _you_ think. I intend to prove otherwise, but to do that I need to talk to Metro Man."

Megamind groaned, moving to stand up. "Fine! I'll take you back to _shool_ so you can get your car… But what about that ice cream _sundie_ I promised you? I was going to get one myself…"

Roxanne giggled softly as she followed him back through the Lair to the invisible car. "I'll tell you what. I'll talk to the warden and get you out tomorrow night. We'll go on a _real_ date then, and you can keep your promise."

Megamind smiled at her warmly, "Sounds good. Now get in and let me blindfold you. I'll get you out of here."

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><p>By the time Roxanne arrived at the Scott mansion, dinner time had already come and gone. Knowing exactly where to find the future hero, after politely greeting his adoptive parents, she headed directly for the super-powered teenager's greatest secret: his music room.<p>

Wayne Scott had always had a passion for music, though he kept that interest private and secret from most of the people around him. The public identity he fastidiously cultivated was that of the untouchable, invincible, charming, and suave hero… But in the privacy of his own secluded suite he had an addiction to Elvis and a penchant for playing the guitar. Roxanne had often wondered why he kept such an interest so strictly private, but when she had asked him about it, he had simply replied that it was personal to him and his own way of relaxing, something he wanted to keep separate from the heroic persona he would have to maintain on a daily basis everywhere else. Very often he would chill out in his music room for a few hours after a football game, or an especially rowdy wrestling match. It seemed to ease his tension and alleviate his worries. After the oddly tired look she'd seen in his eyes that morning, Roxanne was hardly surprised to hear music playing behind the elaborate door that opened into Wayne's private sanctuary. Unfortunately for him, she was about to interrupt his relaxation time.

Elvis's "A Little Less Conversation" was playing as Roxanne opened the door to the music room, a song she somehow found very suitable to the hero-to-be at the moment as the lyrics "Satisfy me" met her ears. As soon as the door began to swing open, Wayne looked up and a bright smile split his face as he jumped to his feet to face her. "Roxy!" he greeted her warmly, but she didn't smile back. Blinking at her in surprise and sudden concern, he quickly turned the music off. "Roxy? Roxy, are you all right? What's wrong? Did Megamind hurt you?"

Roxanne frowned at him. "No, Wayne, he did not, but _you_ have some explaining to do." Wayne blinked at her in stunned confusion and she gestured for him to sit down. "Sit down. I want to hear this from your own lips."

"Hear what?" Wayne questioned in surprise, slowly sitting down as she drew up a chair to sit across from him.

Roxanne's eyes were hard, cold as she responded simply, "How you first met Megamind and what you did to him."

Wayne blinked and stared at her in silence for a moment before repeating in a stunned voice, "What _I_ did to _him_? What on Earth are you talking about?"

Roxanne groaned, rolling her eyes at the burly teenager before almost snapping at him, "Don't play dumb with me, Wayne! I know you went to school with Megamind when you were kids. He told me everything about it, but I want to hear it from your lips. What did you do to him there?"

Wayne's eyes narrowed slightly as the corners of his lips turned down in a wary frown. "What did he tell you?"

"That you bullied him," Roxanne answered flatly, unmoved by Wayne's apparent unease.

Wayne's eyes widened as though shocked. "_Bullied_? He told you I _bullied_ him?" he practically gasped in disbelief. Spreading his hands in a gesture to emphasize that point, he protested, "I did nothing of the kind! Roxy, you can't trust a word that little blue punk says. I've tried to tell you that already. He's a troublemaker, and no good. He was always causing trouble, and nothing has changed. Don't let him brainwash you, Roxy!"

"What did you _do_ to him?" Roxanne repeated sternly, her eyes firm. He was dodging the subject, much as he had been since school had begun, but this time she wasn't going to let him off the hook. She wasn't about to leave until she got some answers.

"Nothing more than he deserved," Wayne finally answered, his voice firm and steady. Roxanne raised an eyebrow at him; he obviously believed he'd done nothing wrong concerning her blue boyfriend. "I simply put him in his place when he stepped out of line, and I'd gladly do it again!"

"Oh, like the time you dragged him to the principal and got him suspended for an accident that wasn't his fault?" Roxanne found herself shouting at him as she rose to her feet, her anger boiling over. Wayne didn't budge from his seat, but he looked terribly uncomfortable, shocked by her outburst. "Or do you mean the time he tried to defend himself from you and the others when you lobbed dodge balls at his head and you stuck him in the corner? Did it ever occur to you, _Metro Man_, that maybe Megamind's not truly evil at all, but misunderstood? You bullied him! You abused and neglected him until he finally accepted the role _you_ forced him into! You created the 'bad boy' persona he seems determined to maintain, and you have the nerve to sit here and deny to my face that you had any part in it? I can't believe you! _You're_ supposed to be the _hero_! How could you? I _believed_ in you!"

Wayne flinched as though he'd been stung, suddenly looking terribly distraught. "Roxy, I swear to you, I've never done anything to him he didn't deserve! Megamind was always a troublemaker, from the very moment I first met him! I knew when he walked through that schoolhouse door he was no good… You could see it in his scheming eyes! Every day he did something to cause a ruckus… Did he tell you how he set fire to the bookshelves trying to build a welding torch in class? Or how about the time he nearly blew up the schoolhouse trying to make popcorn with some crazy laser he'd invented? If it wasn't for me, someone might have been hurt! I did what I needed to do and put him in his place. He hasn't changed a bit in all these years… Megamind is still no better than he was back then, nothing more than a scheming punk, a no good criminal with more than one dirty trick up his sleeve. Roxy, if you keep hanging around him, you're going to get hurt! I don't want to see that happen!"

"I can take care of myself, Wayne," Roxanne spat, disappointed to find that even now, confronted by the past he had shared with Megamind, he refused to admit to having done any wrong. "You disappoint me. I expected more from you." Wayne flinched and she turned to leave, pausing at the door to look over her shoulder at the powerful man that suddenly looked deflated as she insisted, "Don't presume to have the right to protect me from Megamind. I'm not the one who needs protection. A shame you never had the guts to stand up for the one being on this planet who needed it the most." Without another word, she turned and determinedly left the room, leaving the stunned and seemingly hurt super-powered teenager behind her to think things over on his own.

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><p>Roxanne had a hard time trying to get to sleep that night. So much had happened in just that one night, so much new and disturbing information had been revealed to her that her mind simply would not settle down enough to let her rest no matter how hard she tried. Staring up at her ceiling, she ran through the night's events over and over again like a broken record, burning them into her memory as she tried to sort them out. Megamind had been planning something all along just as she had suspected, but it was worse than she had thought. Rather than a simple prank to get back at his rival, he was planning to stage an all-out attack on the city, and from the looks of all the weaponry and robotics that made up the arsenal he had stockpiled in his Evil Lair, he certainly had the firepower to do it. If he succeeded in defeating Metro Man, he would rule the city unchallenged… But she doubted whether even his incredible genius could create anything powerful enough to damage her friend's impenetrable hide, let alone nullify his super strength before he was beaten to a pulp. She feared that if he followed the path he seemed convinced he was destined to follow and became a supervillain, he would be setting out on a career of failure and jail breaks that would probably lock the two rivals in a battle that would carry on without end for the rest of their lives. Megamind seemed convinced he had no other choice, but she was determined to change that.<p>

She had seen it in his eyes that night, even though he had tried to hide it from her. Megamind did not really want to be the villain, not underneath it all. All he really wanted was to be accepted for once instead of rejected. Thinking back over the time she had known him, Roxanne realized she'd never seen anyone even smile at him, let alone exchange a friendly greeting with him, or try to be his friend. She had been the only one to take that step, the only one to have made an effort to get to know him at all, and she could still remember the disbelief in his eyes when she had first spoken to him, the shock at actually finding someone who wanted to spend any time with him at all – even if it was, at the time, just to study. They had come so far since that first meeting, grown so close… And he still behaved as though every touch of her fingers was a miracle he barely deserved, every kiss a taste of Heaven. She smiled to herself as she thought about his soft blue lips, how gentle they were as he kissed her, how he tasted, so sweet… Yes, even she had to admit every kiss they shared _was_ a taste of Heaven. Their relationship was growing, something she knew he had trouble believing, and she found she couldn't regret her decision to get to know the blue man everyone had labeled Metro High's biggest "bad boy." It seemed to be a label he simply couldn't shake, but she would help him change that. He did not have to be the villain, no matter how often he was pegged as the bad boy or how many times he'd been bullied and neglected… No, he was something far greater, and she intended to help him see that.

Her confrontation with Metro Man, on the other hand, had yielded far less desirable results. She had gone to him hoping to get him to see reason, just to find her fears confirmed instead. Metro Man, or Wayne Scott – a name she only called him in the privacy of his family's home estate, seemed firmly convinced he could do no wrong and never had. Used to receiving nothing but praise, she knew it had come as a blow to him to have his closest friend reprimand him instead, even going so far as to express her disappointment, but Roxanne couldn't feel bad for him. A part of her heart ached at the knowledge that for the first time in their long friendship, she was actually at odds with the soon-to-be hero she'd always admired and supported… But how could she not be, knowing as she did he was judging Megamind unfairly? She recalled his reaction to the blue teenager's arrival at school the first day of the school year, and it had been anything but friendly and welcoming. Rather than giving Megamind a second chance to prove himself, he'd immediately assumed the worst, setting himself at odds with the shorter alien. He, like everyone else, had taken one look at Megamind's blue skin, giant head, and black attire and pegged him as the villain. Roxanne couldn't help but feel he deserved to suffer a blow to his oversized ego for that.

Roxanne sighed softly and determinedly closed her eyes. She had spoken to the warden and had managed to get Megamind out of prison for a few hours the following night, so at least she had his company to look forward to. Her lips turned upwards as she thought of the handsome blue alien and imagined his arms around her, the heat from his body warming her as his wet blue lips softly pressed against hers, his taste intoxicating her as his scent enveloped her… She purred softly to herself at the thought, and finally drifted off to sleep hoping that whatever they did together the following night, it would end just like that…


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: _WARNING: **This chapter is rated PG/T for discussion of male/alien genitalia**** and suggestive comments. This fic is rated M/NC-17 overall, but this chapter is PG/T. You have been**__** warned.**_** That said, I hope you guys like it! :D****

****Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.****

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 13**

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><p>The following morning, Roxanne headed towards the school building, her book bag thrown over her shoulder. She really had no idea what to expect from Metro Man today, but she looked forward to seeing Megamind again. A smile slowly began to pull her lips upwards as she recalled the fantasy she'd been having about him as she fell asleep the night before, her dreams graced with thoughts of the handsome big-headed blue alien, but just as soon as she started to drift off into her daydreams again, her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a familiar voice call softly from above, "Miss Ritchi!"<p>

Glancing up at the tree she was passing, Roxanne spotted Minion quickly scurrying down its branches towards her, back in his usual small monkey body. "Miss Ritchi!" he called her name again, dropping deftly out of the tree to stand at her feet. He smiled up at her from his water-filled dome, a nice change from the wary glare he'd shot her yesterday.

"Ah, Minion," Roxanne greeted him casually. "Back in your monkey body, huh?"

Minion nodded his fishy body up and down as he admitted, "For the time being, yes. At least for now. This body is more portable, easier to get in and out of places… But I'll need the gorilla body later to bring Sir the invisible car." Roxanne merely smiled at him and he cleared his throat, suddenly looking guilty. "Uh… Miss Ritchi… I'm afraid I owe you an apology… We've never been able to trust a human, and I was afraid…"

"There's no need to apologize," Roxanne insisted, cutting him off as she dropped down to her knees to look him in the eye. She smiled at the intelligent fish as she insisted, "You look out for Megamind, and there's no shame in that. I'm glad he has a friend like you to watch out for him. Just remember from now on that there are now _two_ of us watching his back, all right?"

Minion's grin could not have gotten any wider as his fins flapped happily. "I will keep it in mind, Miss Ritchi! I'm going to hide now, but the boss will be right out. He's changing right now, and eager to see you. He's very fond of you, you know."

Roxanne giggled, her cheeks coloring slightly as she admitted, "Yes, I know. I'm very fond of him too. Now go ahead and hide! I'm going to head inside." Minion smiled at her one more time, then quickly scaled back up the tree as Roxanne continued on her way towards the brick building, a smile gracing her lips.

She hadn't gone more than a few steps when she saw Megamind hurrying towards her, an excited grin on his lips as he practically skipped the final few steps over to her. "Roxanne!" he greeted her as he drew near, falling into step beside her as he cast her an alluring grin from beneath half-closed eyelids that made her knees go week. "Did you miss me?"

Roxanne giggled, relieved to find that he hadn't changed a bit since his revelation the night before. If anything, he seemed even more relaxed around her now… "Of course," she admitted, casting him her own alluring smile. "You're awfully hard to forget."

Megamind laughed at her tease, but his cheeks colored a soft hue of violet as he stepped in a hair closer to her, his tone dropping to a low, sultry tenor as he insisted, "You're rather unforgettable yourself, Miss Ritchi… I didn't want to drop you off last night. You tease me." Roxanne giggled, blushing softly beside him, and stepped in a hair closer to him as well to draw attention to the fact she felt the same way. His face flushed an even deeper shade of purple, but his smile grew at her nearness as his eyes met hers. "The warden is letting me go after detention again," he informed her warmly, a note of undeniable excitement in his voice and a spring in his step. He folded his hands behind his back and asked, "Do you know what you want to do? Is there anywhere you want to go? You name it and we'll do it!"

Roxanne had to try not to grin as his words brought all her fantasies about him screaming back into her memory, her eyes flicking uncontrollably to his lips and once down his incredibly thin body before she could force them back up to his eyes again. He seemed to miss the action, for which she was grateful as she mentally slapped herself for letting her mind wander, especially with him standing right beside her, watching her every move. She wondered suddenly if he had ever thought of her _that way_, or if she was the only one daring to wonder what it would be like to… She shook her head to snap herself out of her train of thought as she realized she still hadn't responded and he was beginning to cock his head at her in confusion. "I hadn't really thought of it…" she admitted with an embarrassed chuckle. Of all the things she had thought of doing with him last night, where they should go on their date had not been one of them. "I just want to be with you. The location doesn't really matter… Is there any place you wanted to go?"

Megamind's blush seemed to deepen as he laughed awkwardly, scratching at the back of his head as he admitted in apparent embarrassment, "I, uh… I'm afraid I'm not as, er… _familiar_ with your human hang-outs as you might be…" He smiled at her sheepishly, shrugging. "I'm sorry, Roxanne, but I don't even know where to begin to pick the right venue for entertainment… Unless…" He glanced around anxiously, dropping his voice even further so only she could hear as he leaned in close. "Unless you want to go back to the Evil Lair again… I'll give you the full tour, I promise! And I have an entertainment unit with a huge TV… Perhaps we can watch a movie? Maybe I can figure out how to make this _pop-ed_ corn you humans seem to like so much… It does look tasty…"

Roxanne cast the enthusiastic alien a knowing glance as she remarked, "I think you just want to blindfold me again."

Her sharp eyes watching his closely, Roxanne almost laughed as she saw a flash of interest cross his eyes, his mouth opening as though to say something before closing again as he mentally slapped himself. His cheeks suddenly flushing a violent shade of violet, Megamind cleared his throat and looked away, replying instead simply, "Well, that wasn't exactly why I was suggesting it, no…"

Roxanne couldn't help but giggle as she wondered what exactly it was he had _really_ been thinking about before he caught himself at the last minute. Something told her she wasn't the only one having fantasies… Her own cheeks blushing at the thought, she tried to push the tempting images threatening to invade her mind back out as she observed with amusement, "But I _would_ be blindfolded."

"Only for the trip, I swear!" Megamind insisted, doing his best to look utterly innocent.

Roxanne giggled, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Megamind, but not tonight. Maybe another time. Tonight I want to see you; I don't want to spend half our time together in the dark." _Unless we're _both_ in the dark…_ she couldn't help but think, and wondered if he'd had the same thought as a delighted grin appeared on his lips.

"Sounds fair…" Megamind agreed. His long, thin blue fingers slowly reached out to hers, and Roxanne's heart practically did a somersault in her chest as she realized that had been the first time he'd actually initiated the contact, his cheeks blushing softly as he stepped in a little closer. His hand squeezed hers tenderly, his vivid green eyes warm as he smiled at her, and she couldn't help but catch the quick drift of his gaze as it slipped down to her lips and back again. When he spoke again, his voice was soft, reflecting the warmth in his eyes as he insisted, "We'll do whatever you want to do, Roxanne. I just want to enjoy your company tonight."

Roxanne could have thrown her arms around him then and there and smothered him with kisses in front of everyone for all the warmth she felt in her heart right then, but she resisted the temptation and after a moment of thought, suggested, "Would you like to go to the Museum of Science?" His eyes lit up as he audibly gasped and she chuckled as she realized he was having difficulty containing his excitement. "I'll take that as a yes, then. All right, Megamind. How about this, then: We'll go to the Museum after school, then out to dinner. If we have time after that, maybe we can go for a walk in the park or something. What do you say?"

"Oh, Roxanne! You're a woman after my own heart!" Megamind exclaimed in pure joy, the grin on his lips never fading. "What kind of exhibits do they have at the museum? Anything regarding space travel? Or quantum physics? How about robotics? I want to see it all!"

Roxanne giggled, taking hold of his shoulders to try to calm his excitement as they paused in their tracks a few yards from the school's entrance. She wasn't ready to go inside yet, anyway. "Calm down, Megamind! You'll see it all, I promise you," she assured him. He was practically bouncing on his toes like an overeager kid, and she couldn't help but find him absolutely adorable. "We just need to get through the school day first, OK? Just be patient."

"Of course, of course," Megamind shrugged, then grinned at her mischievously as he suggested, "Though you know, we _could_ just play hookie and leave now… Spend the whole day in the museum! How much fun would _that_ be?"

Roxanne laughed and playfully shoved his shoulder, scolding him as he broke out laughing wickedly, "Nice try, _bad boy_, but we're not skipping school!"

"_Goody-goody_," he teased her, pretending to pout, but he couldn't keep the act up for long before he grew excited again. "Oh! Oh! I made something for you!" he informed her eagerly, pulling something out of his pocket and holding it up for her to see. Roxanne blinked as she saw he was holding a watch very similar to his own but slightly more feminine in size and style, with lightning bolts for minute and second hands, and a thin black leather strap to secure it to her wrist. He bit his lower lip excitedly, then leaned in close to state in a voice only she could hear as he took her wrist and began to fasten the watch band around it, "I know it looks like a watch, but it's much more than that!" He finished fastening it and grinned as he looked her in the eye, explaining proudly, "It's a _communicator_! You see this button here?" He tapped a button on the side of the watch. "Press and hold this and speak into the watch and you can call me wherever I am and wherever you happen to be! I'll come the minute you call me. Use this if those mindless drones start pushing you around again…" He chuckled wickedly. "I'll scare them off for you! Oh, and it works both ways, so I can contact you too!"

Roxanne blinked at him in surprise, then stared at the watch curiously. "It's a communicator? Really?" She pressed the button he'd indicated, deciding to test it, and spoke into it softly, "Testing… Testing…" To her surprise and awe, she heard her own voice repeated back to her from the face of Megamind's own watch, his proud grin only growing as she stared at him in disbelief. "Oh, my gosh! It actually works!"

"Of course it does! _I_ designed it!" Megamind remarked smugly.

"Do any of these other buttons do anything?" Roxanne questioned curiously as she studied the watch, afraid to touch anything else in case she activated something possibly dangerous.

"Not on yours," Megamind informed her calmly. She cast him a stern look and he grinned secretively. "Come now, Miss Ritchi… A supervillain must be prepared for everything!" She raised an eyebrow at him and he chuckled, then admitted, "Oh, relax, Roxanne, even mine is not dangerous. It's a disguise generator; it can make me look human. I'll show you later, if you like."

"A disguise generator?" Roxanne gasped, staring at him in awe. "Really? You _are_ full of surprises…"

Megamind grinned mischievously, pointing to himself as he reminded her, "Supervillain, remember?" He laughed, then gestured her forward. "Come on, let's get inside before the bell rings. I may have to suffer through detention, but there's no reason you should have to."

The two headed inside and took their seats for homeroom, trying very hard to ignore the rumors spreading around them like wildfire. Megamind was frowning at everyone in the room, and Roxanne couldn't help but smile at him in return. It really was rather sweet how protective he was of her; he hardly even tried to hide it any more. His behavior was less that of a supervillain and more that of a man trying to shield his lover from undeserved harm. She couldn't help but feel lucky to be able to call him hers.

When Metro Man finally walked into the room, Roxanne swallowed hard. He paused in the door, his soft blue eyes gazing directly at hers and looking more tired and tense than she'd ever seen them before. He began to head in her direction and she braced herself for the worst, noticing Megamind had straightened beside her and was practically bristling at the soon-to-be hero's approach, his hands gripping the underside of his desk in an obvious attempt to keep himself from leaping to his feet to stare him down. As Metro Man drew near, his eyes remained fixed on hers, and Roxanne drew in a deep breath as she prepared to hear yet another warning about her charismatic blue boyfriend. At the last minute, though, he surprised her when he turned away and headed directly over to Megamind's desk instead.

Now _that_ was unexpected.

As the two rivals stared each other down in silence, Roxanne practically stopped breathing. What on Earth was Metro Man doing? Was he going to pick a fight _now_, here, in front of everyone? Megamind's eyes had narrowed, a dangerous, volatile frown on his lips as he glared up at the taller teenager with venom in his eyes, every muscle in his thin, wiry body tense, coiled and ready to spring at the drop of a hat. "Megamind…" Metro Man spoke his name at last, his tone as tense as the air around them.

"What do you want, Metro Man?" Megamind hissed, and Roxanne hoped he could remain calm.

Metro Man glanced once at Roxanne, then focused back on Megamind, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Roxanne Ritchi is my friend," he stated in a tone that was flat, barely managing to keep a bite out of it. "I don't understand why she has decided to side with you, but I have always supported her decisions and will continue to do so. I don't trust _you_, but I do trust _her_." He sighed, resting his hands on the blue alien's desk as he looked him in the eye, his gaze softening slightly. "I can't pretend I won't be watching you, but Roxy deserves the best, and she should get it. Make sure you treat her right. I don't want to see her hurt."

Megamind's eyes remained wary and focused on the stronger hero's, but his tone softened slightly as he assured him, "It is not my intention to hurt her… Far from it, actually. If Roxanne is hurt by anything or anyone, you have my word it will not be from me."

Metro Man's gaze softened as he nodded. "Good. I'll hold you to that." He cast one last look at Roxanne, then without another word, slowly made his way to his seat and sat down.

Roxanne stared at Metro Man's back for a moment, stunned by the almost civil exchange the resident superhero had just had with his rival. She had feared he would be angry with her, but rather than lashing out, he had simply resumed the role he always had, watching out for her from a distance while trusting her to make the right choices with regards to Megamind. He had apparently decided to trust Megamind as well, at least to an extent with regards to her, and her blue boyfriend was studying the super-powered man's back with an intensity she knew indicated his enormous mind was trying to work out his motives, fearing a trick. When Megamind finally turned back to her, he asked in a voice dripping with suspicion, "What was _that_ all about?"

"I don't know…" Roxanne admitted softly. "Maybe I got through to him on some level last night, though he may not readily admit it…" Megamind stared at her hard for a moment, then both of them focused their attention at the front of the room as their teacher came in and closed the door behind her. As Mrs. Green began to take roll call, Roxanne wondered if maybe there was hope for Metro Man to see eye to eye with Megamind after all… It just might take some time.

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><p>When lunch time finally came around, Roxanne found Megamind in one of the chemistry labs, hoping to spend the lunch hour talking with him. Overly stimulated by his excitement about the afternoon's planned date to the science museum, however, his brilliant mind would not let him sit still, and no matter how hard she tried, she could not pull his attention away from the chemistry experiment he began messing with, eagerly explaining every step of the process to her. Though his obvious genius greatly impressed her, try as she might, she simply could not follow the complex equations and formulas he was using, but she smiled as she watched him work, glad to at least be with him even if the conversation was a little one-sided and his mind distracted. As she watched him work she had to admit, he was awfully sexy when in scientist mode…<p>

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><p>Roxanne did her best to ignore the rumors as she went to her classes and maneuvered through the packed halls in between them. She would have to find a way to silence them somehow, to make everyone see what Megamind really was and not what he was being made out to be, what he thought he <em>had<em> to be. She almost welcomed the silence she found when she retreated to the girls' bathroom to take care of business… But even that turned out to be brief when two giggling girls burst into the bathroom and she found herself privy to a rather unexpected conversation locked as she was behind the stall door.

"I still can't believe she lets him anywhere _near_ her!" the one girl was saying in a tone of utter disgust.

"And worse, she lets him _touch_ her with those spidery blue fingers of his!" the other groaned.

"I know, gross! Roxanne is so much better than that. Or at least she _was_, back when she was with Metro Man…" A dreamy sigh carried through the stall door. "Oh, now _there's_ a man! Why on Earth she would leave him for that… that blue… _thing_ is beyond me!"

"I know, right? I mean, Megamind is just… _gross_!"

"He is! He gives me the creeps every time I see him in the halls…" There was an audible shudder. "Disgusting!"

"I know! That huge head is just… _wrong_! How can Roxanne even _think_ of letting him near her? He's just so… creepy and weird!"

Roxanne was getting angry as she listened to their conversation, but before she could open the stall door, it shifted to something she definitely did not expect… "He must be controlling her somehow…" The girl giggled, dropping her tone a hair lower. "Do you think he's having _sex_ with her?"

Roxanne blushed furiously behind the stall door as the other girl replied, "Ew, no! I hope not! That's just gross!"

"I know! It is! But do you think he is?"

"I can't imagine she'd let him do that… Not with him… If he's bedding her, it must be some form of rape or coercion… He's just so… Ew!"

"I know! But can you imagine if he is? I wonder what he looks like down there…"

Both girls giggled mischievously. "Do you think he has a penis? I mean, like a human one?"

"I'll bet he's all gross and slimy down there…"

"Maybe he has tentacles!"

The girls broke out laughing before the other could respond. "Oh! Tentacles! Now _that_ would be something!"

"Can you imagine it? There's Roxanne, down on her knees – because you _know_ he'd be in charge, he drops his pants, and there's all these squirming, writhing, wormy… Ew! I can't even say it, it's so gross!"

"Oh, disgusting! What a horrible image!"

"I know! But he _is_ an alien… You never know what could be in those tight pants!"

The other girl giggled, wondering aloud, "Do you think he can suck it in, like a horse?"

Her friend broke out laughing. "Maybe, but could you imagine if he's _hung_ like one too? Poor Roxanne!"

"Oh, that'd have to hurt…"

Roxanne had heard enough. Blushing furiously, she threw open the door, glared at the two shocked teenagers, and hissed, "I'd appreciate if you kept your filthy minds away from Megamind's junk, if you don't mind!" The girls didn't respond, but scattered and bolted back out the bathroom door as though their lives depended on it. Roxanne huffed at the place where they'd been in frustration. Of all the rumors she'd heard that day, that had to have been the worst of them… Or at least the most awkward. She turned to wash her hands in the sink, staring at her own reflection in the mirror, frustrated. The truth was, even _she_ didn't know what Megamind was packing down there… Until now, she'd simply assumed he was like any other normal male, but those gossiping girls had raised a few valid points. Megamind _was_ alien, after all… Who was to say he had human genitalia? Maybe he was different than they were in some way… It would make sense, having originated on a totally different planet and being a member of a completely different species… As much as she hated to admit it, now that the thought had been planted in her brain, she found herself intensely curious to find out exactly what Megamind really did look like beneath those tight black pants… She blushed softly, grinning to herself as she dried her hands off, realizing with a sudden pang of excitement that if their relationship continued to grow closer as it was, she would probably soon find out firsthand…


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: **_WARNING: This chapter/fic is rated M/NC-17 for nudity, male/alien genitalia, female genitalia, graphic sexual content, and adult themes. This is NSFW, and definitely NOT for kids! Please don't read if this sort of thing offends you._** Oh, I am so blushing right now at the thought of posting this chapter... It's much more graphic than the original... Please be gentle! ^_^; That said, I hope you like it! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 14**

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><p>That afternoon, as soon as detention let out, Megamind came bolting out of the schoolhouse to meet Roxanne. He was practically grinning from ear to ear in his excitement, bouncing on his toes as he asked, "Are you ready for a little science, Roxanne?"<p>

Roxanne giggled at his enthusiasm. "Of course!"

"Great!" Megamind beamed, turning eagerly towards the curb as Minion pulled up in the invisible car and stepped out. "Right on time, you fantastic fish you!" he laughed to his friend as he circled around to the driver's side, gladly taking the keys as Minion dropped them into his hand. "Now go have some fun! I insist!"

"Yes, Sir!" Minion practically chirped excitedly, turning in his gorilla body to face Roxanne for a moment. "Have fun, Miss Ritchi! I'm off to the aquarium!"

"Oh, well that should be fun for you! Have a great time, Minion," Roxanne smiled at the fish, then moved to get into the car as Megamind mentally slapped himself, hurried back around to her side of the car, and opened the door for her. "Thank you," she smiled warmly at him, and his smile grew. Closing the door behind her, he hurried back around to the driver's side and all but leapt inside.

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><p>Taking Megamind to the Metro City Museum of Science was an adventure in itself. Over stimulated by the scientific atmosphere (even if the exhibits were geared towards a far less intelligent audience than he was), the big-headed blue alien was practically bouncing off the walls as he ran from exhibit to exhibit, dragging Roxanne along behind him. Every time he grabbed her hand to hurry to the next display, Roxanne could do little but laugh in delight at his enthusiasm, listening to him as he ranted about everything from astronomy to geology, eagerly delving into subjects far too advanced for Roxanne to follow, and embellishing upon the little info the exhibits had to offer. He seemed to have a particular fondness for the museum's display of the first moon landing, perusing the exhibit with all the reverence of a fellow space traveler. She would never forget his words as he stared almost starry-eyed at a photograph of Neil Armstrong's first step onto the moon, "Your race is so young and so feeble-minded, and yet you have taken your first tentative steps out into the vastness of the universe to touch the other worlds that share it with you. You have not conquered space travel yet, or even begun to unlock its elusive secrets as my race had, but that didn't stop you from finding your way to set foot on your own moon, an accomplishment in itself for a people still struggling to establish renewable and efficient energy sources, let alone advanced technology. Maybe one day your race will reach out even to the stars… But for now you must be satisfied with the moon." He had sounded both awed and sad as he spoke, and knowing he had probably lapsed into memories of his own planet and his trip to Earth to escape its destruction, she had squeezed his hand tightly within hers, smiling at him gently in a way that instantly made him visibly melt. Only moments later he had spotted another exhibit and had dragged her off again.<p>

Though Megamind's enthusiasm was difficult to control when immersed in the more scientific exhibits, he was more than happy to let Roxanne take the lead when they came to the museum's media and television section. Though she knew he was probably more than familiar with how the technology worked, he was fascinated by all the many little details that went into the workings of a news studio, eagerly hanging on her every word as she gladly took the chance to share her knowledge of journalism with him. He seemed especially keen on listening to her elaborate on her dreams of being a reporter, smiling at her warmly as she let him in on her ambitions to cover breaking news stories and report on all the important events happening all over Metro City. "I'll bet you're going to be the best reporter of them all," he'd remarked as they paused before an exhibit showcasing one of the older television cameras from television's infancy. His cheeks had flushed a little as he added honestly, "I know I would watch you every day… I'd make sure to never miss a single report." Roxanne had squeezed his hand tight in hers, leaning up against him for a moment as her heart warmed. He was simply too sweet to be evil.

Megamind's presence in the museum didn't go unnoticed by the other attendants as his blue skin and giant bald head garnered more stares and whispers than Roxanne could tell he would have liked. He frowned at most of them, the gawking, gossiping visitors too frightened by his appearance to approach him, though one actually did have the nerve to ask him if he was some form of mascot hired by the museum to promote their astronomy exhibits. Megamind had simply snapped at the man that he was not and to get away from him, but Roxanne could see the pain in his eyes at finding himself being singled out yet again. After a while he'd sighed, having had enough, and had reached for the disguise generator on his watch, determined to mask his appearance as human in order to draw less attention to himself, but Roxanne stopped him before he could activate it. "No," she had insisted, looking him in the eye as he stared sadly into hers. "Don't you pay any attention to what these people think. This is a museum of _science_, for crying out loud. They can learn to open their minds a little, and I want to see _you_, not some projected human image to hide it. I'm not ashamed to be seen with you, Megamind. Let them stare."

Megamind had been struck silent for a moment, but had smiled at her so warmly her heart had skipped a beat, squeezing her hand tightly in his as he gave up on his watch. "Roxanne…" he breathed her name in awe when he finally found his voice, but he couldn't put his thoughts into words. His eyes did it for him as Roxanne gazed deep into them, then gently pulled him along to get him moving again.

"Come on," she had prodded him as he fell into step beside her. "You can get me that ice cream sundae you owe me in the café." Megamind had chuckled, but nodded, gladly following up on his promise as they headed to the museum's cafeteria to get a few of the frozen treats.

They had seen many exhibits, but Roxanne had to admit, their visit to the museum's planetarium was her favorite part of the whole trip. Practically lying on her back beside Megamind in the cushioned chairs beneath a darkened sky of projected stars, she couldn't help but find the whole thing romantic, her hand resting in Megamind's as they smiled warmly at each other from time to time despite the presentation going on overhead. Every so often Megamind would lean in to whisper something in her ear, some correction he felt compelled to make when the speaker got something wrong, and she tried very hard not to giggle as he proved time and time again how brilliant he truly was. As she lay beside him gazing up into the recreated stars, she couldn't help but wish they were lying together in a field, just the two of them, alone as they gazed up into the night sky for real and counted shooting stars. Even though she never spoke the thought aloud, she could tell he felt the same as his hand squeezed hers gently, his eyes soft and warm as he gazed into hers under the softly glowing dome of the planetarium. By the time they finally left it, Roxanne felt closer to Megamind than she ever had before.

When they finally left the museum, the two headed to a romantic restaurant Roxanne had heard of and sat down to a pleasant meal surrounded by the soft glow of candle light. Classical music played by live musicians helped set the mood as they talked over the day's events and their experiences at the museum, Megamind's brilliant mind having some minor difficulty coming down off what Roxanne was amusedly beginning to call a "science high." He had cast her an unamused glare at the term, but had snickered and ignored it, happily going right back to talking about the exhibits and which ones had been his favorites. By the time dessert had arrived, he had calmed down immensely as he reveled in her company, and Roxanne couldn't help but adore the warmth she saw in Megamind's brilliant green eyes as she gazed deep into them and he into hers, both practically melting at the affection they found for each other there. Dinner could not have gone any better, and Roxanne found herself wishing the night would never end…

The two were hand in hand as they left the restaurant, and Megamind glanced reluctantly at his watch to check the time. It was only 8:00pm. They still had a few hours before he had to be back at the prison. "Ah, still plenty of time," he smiled warmly at Roxanne. "What would you like to do now, Roxanne?"

Roxanne's heart began to beat a little faster as she realized the only thing she wanted to do right now was to be _alone_ with him, somewhere other eyes couldn't see them and ears couldn't hear. Glancing up at the darkened sky, the stars hidden by the wash of city lights, she smiled as she got an idea. Squeezing his hand gently, she stepped in a little closer and asked, "How would you like to go see the real stars? I know a place just outside the city where no one ever goes and the lights don't reach… We could watch them together, alone."

Megamind's smile warmed even as his cheeks colored softly at the idea of being alone with her, and as he licked his lips briefly, his eyes darting uncontrollably once to her lips, Roxanne knew he was thinking the same thing as her… "I'd like that…" he agreed in a voice soft with affection, then stepped in closer to her as they headed back to the invisible car to take a drive outside the city.

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><p>Outside the limits of Metro City, the stars were shining brightly in a cloudless sky. A full moon glowed softly overhead as Megamind parked the invisible car atop a hill overlooking the city. Roxanne smiled warmly at the blue teenager as he helped her out of the car, drawing in her breath as she took in the view that stretched out before her eyes like an endless sea of lights, the stars above and the city below. "It's so beautiful…" she breathed in awe as Megamind stood beside her, her gaze wandering out over the landscape beneath her before shifting up towards the clear night sky. "I've always loved this view… Not many people know this place is here, but there's no better place around to watch the stars shoot across the sky, or fireworks on the fourth of July."<p>

"It is a lovely view," Megamind agreed, his eyes scanning over the heavens as though burning it into his memory. "Much better than any planetarium."

"Most definitely," Roxanne agreed, then moving a little further away from the invisible car, she led him out into the grassy field and sat down, gesturing for him to join her. "Come on… Sit beside me. We'll count the shooting stars."

Megamind smiled and moved to sit beside her, his eyes meeting hers for a moment before turning back out to the sea of stars spread out above them. "You know shooting stars are actually small meteors burning up in the atmosphere…"

"I know," Roxanne giggled. Even out here he couldn't stop playing the scientist, though she wondered as she caught his eyes wandering to her momentarily if he was simply trying to distract himself from his own nerves.

"Aha! Did you see that one?" he cried, pointing to where a shooting star had just passed.

"Yes. It was beautiful," Roxanne smiled and shifted to sit a little closer to him. His eyes met hers and she smiled at him, though she shivered once in the cool night air.

"Are you cold?" Megamind asked, his eyes not missing the action.

"A little, but I'll be all right," Roxanne insisted. "It's just a little cool out tonight, that's all."

"Well, we can't have you cold… Wait here!" Megamind instructed, leaping to his feet and hurrying back to the car. Roxanne watched him rummage through the vehicle's trunk, then blinked in surprise when he came trotting back over to her, his cape in his hand. He grinned sheepishly as he dropped to his knees, the silken material held tightly within his fingers. "I always come prepared," he chuckled, then as his cheeks flushed a soft hue of purple, he scooted in to sit close beside her. "Here…" He wrapped the cape around them both, pulling it tight over her shoulders, then asked shyly, "Is this… OK?"

"Of course it is," Roxanne breathed in reply, smiling warmly at him as the cape's smooth material held them close together. It was a bold move on his part, but it spoke volumes of how he really felt about her; always seemingly shy about initiating contact, this time he had done not only that, but by wrapping the cape around them both, he had effectively made it clear that he wanted to be near her and remain close. She shifted her body in even closer to his until she was leaning up against him, and he swallowed hard. "Thank you."

"My pleasure…" came his reply, barely more than a whisper, and as Roxanne moved to lean her head against his shoulder, her hand moving to rest on his chest, she could feel his heart thundering within as though he had just run a marathon race. She could have smothered him with kisses right then and there, but she decided to move slowly, let him take his time and ease into whatever would follow. She didn't want to rush him.

Gazing up into the night sky as she relaxed in Megamind's embrace, Roxanne asked him curiously, "Do you have a favorite star constellation, Megamind?"

"I always liked Scorpio," Megamind answered honestly. "It seemed like a fitting favorite for a supervillain… But I'll tell you my _real_ favorite if you like…"

"Which one is that?" Roxanne prompted him.

Megamind bit his lower lip, looking around as though to make certain they were alone, then leaned in and whispered into her ear, "_Pegasus_."

Roxanne giggled. "Pegasus?" No wonder he kept that one a secret. "The winged horse?"

Megamind nodded and chuckled. "I know it's not the _toughest_ of constellations, but it's always caught my eye. It has a lovely shape to it, and you have to admit, a winged horse is a beautiful thing."

"You make a good point," Roxanne admitted, smiling at him with pride in her eyes. He was opening up to her, letting her see beyond the evil supervillain persona to the real man within, and her heart warmed at the fact. "My favorite was always Orion," she stated simply. "I love that one. It's easily identifiable in the night sky, and what could be cooler than a hunter drawing his bow? Or sword, or shield, whatever version you prefer…"

Megamind laughed, a warm and genuinely amused sound that pleased Roxanne's ears, and admitted, "You know, I never did understand how some of these constellations came to be named or associated with the images used to identify them… Take Sagittarius for example. Never in a million years would I have looked at that group of stars and come up with a centaur!"

"Yeah, it doesn't make much sense, does it?" Roxanne giggled. He shook his head and her eyes fixed on a group of stars that seemed to catch her eye that night, her mind wandering. "You know, when I was a little girl…" she began, then cut herself off, shaking her head. "No. Never mind. You'll just laugh at me…"

"I won't, I promise," Megamind insisted softly, and she smiled as she could feel his lips hovering close to her hair, drawn by her close proximity as he breathed in her scent.

Roxanne snuggled in even closer, delighting in his own scent as she stared lazily out at the stars. "When I was a little girl, my parents used to bring me up here from time to time on special occasions, like the fourth of July to watch the fireworks, or an afternoon picnic. There was one time I remember was more special than the others though… My father told me we were going to see a meteor shower, and I remember standing here, staring at the stars and watching as these beautiful dots of light streaked across the sky. It was an amazing sight, and I recall wondering to myself if there were people on other planets seeing similar things, or if it was a sight reserved just for me." Megamind chuckled and she frowned at him, feigning offence. "You promised not to laugh!"

"I didn't!" Megamind insisted, grinning at her innocently. "I chuckled. There's a difference. I just thought it was cute."

Roxanne giggled, defending herself playfully, "Well, I was only five at the time, and hadn't heard of Metro Man yet, let alone you… As far as I knew at that age, we were all alone here on our little planet. I'm glad we're not though, or I wouldn't have met you."

"The feeling's mutual," Megamind whispered, his nose sinking even closer to her hair as though drawn by some irresistible magnet. He caught himself at the last minute before he buried his nose in her soft, silky hair and reluctantly pulled back, blushing, much to Roxanne's disappointment. He turned his head to look out over the night sky, then pointed to a small cluster of stars. "Do you see those stars there, Roxanne? The little ones in the distance, with the bright star in the middle?"

Roxanne nodded. "Yes, I see them…"

"That's the Glaupunk Quadrant," Megamind informed her softly and she blinked at him as his eyes met hers. "That's where my home planet used to be."

"Oh, wow…" Roxanne sighed, her gaze drifting back to the group of stars he'd indicated. "You came from way out there?"

Megamind nodded. "Yes. I don't… I don't usually talk about it… The memories are kind of painful for me…" She found his hand where it rested in his lap and squeezed it, and he smiled weakly at her as he went on, "But I feel like I can talk to you about anything… Tell you anything… And you won't… You won't judge me."

"I won't," Roxanne promised, patiently waiting for him to gather his courage. "You can tell me anything. You can trust me."

His smile warmed instantly, his hand squeezing hers where she held his tightly. When his gaze finally drifted back out to the stars as he stared in the direction his home planet once was, he spoke in a tone that was both soft and distant, "I remember my parents… Even as they rushed to get things ready for my departure, they were always gentle with me. They looked so sad as I sped off on my journey… I remember seeing our little blue planet drifting closer and closer to the black hole as my pod left it behind. It was a terrible loss… Even at only eight days old, I knew I'd never see it again, even if I wanted to. It's gone… My race… Extinct, except for me. I've always felt so alone here. If I didn't have Minion, I don't know what I'd do. He's all I have left of my home world, the only other surviving creature from it…" He paused for a moment, blinking before he chuckled and realized softly, "I'm sorry, this isn't a very nice subject, is it? I don't mean to spoil the mood…"

"No, I don't mind, really," Roxanne insisted, urging him gently to continue. "How can I learn more about you if you don't open up to me? I want to know _you_, painful memories and all."

Megamind chuckled softly, and Roxanne could feel his body press up against hers as he practically melted beside her. "I feel so comfortable with you, in a way I've never felt with anyone. I _want_ you to know me… Everything about me…" He turned to look her in the eye and asked gently, "It doesn't bother you that I'm a villain?"

"Well… A little, but I don't think that's really _you_," Roxanne admitted. He blinked, but said nothing as she went on, "Nothing I've seen about you screams _villain_, except this bad boy persona you put on every time you're in public… But it seems fake to me, like an act… Forced. I don't think that's you at all, and I don't believe it ever was."

Megamind sighed softly, his shoulders drooping. "It's my _destiny_, Roxanne… I'm the bad boy…"

"No, you're not," Roxanne insisted, bringing a hand to his cheek to force him to look her in the eye. His eyes were sad and uncertain, but seemed more lonely than evil. She smiled as she realized he just needed a little reassurance to push him in the right direction. "I want you to try something for me, Megamind."

"What?" he asked, his eyes fixed on hers.

"There's a talent show coming up next Friday night at school." Roxanne smiled at him warmly as she insisted, "I want you to enter it."

Megamind's face fell, his eyes glazing over. "Why? So I can give those puny-minded idiots even more of a reason to hate me?"

"No, so you can _impress_ them and show them what you're _really_ made of," Roxanne countered seriously. "Please, Megamind? Apart from my articles in the school paper, I can't think of any better way to change the others' view of you than by having you awe them with your talents. Anti-bullying rants in papers can only do so much, but if you got up on that stage and gave them a performance they'll never forget, you could change their perception much faster and do a better job of it than I ever could."

Megamind sighed audibly and groaned, but finally caved, "Fine, I'll do it! But what exactly should I do up there?"

"You'll think of something," Roxanne assured him, smiling at him with pride in her eyes. "And whatever you do, I know it'll be amazing."

Megamind chuckled, a cocky grin appearing on his lips as he insisted, "Anything I do is amazing, Miss Ritchi, but I promise I will deliver a performance you will never forget!"

"I know you will," Roxanne giggled, then relaxed against him as she assured him, "You're going to blow them all away, Megamind, and the best part of it is that unlike the others, _I_ can say you're _mine_."

Megamind chuckled awkwardly, but admitted softly, "Well, I _am_ yours, Roxanne… Even though I'll admit I sometimes find that hard to believe."

"You shouldn't doubt your worth, Megamind," Roxanne insisted softly, running a hand back along his jaw affectionately. His eyes softened even as his cheeks colored, a warm smile gracing his lips as she practically whispered, "Why wouldn't I want you?"

Megamind melted, leaning in closer to her in an obvious temptation to kiss her, but he held himself back, much to Roxanne's great disappointment. "I… I want you too, Roxanne…" he whispered after a moment, his eyes slipping down to focus on her lips as his face flushed a deep violet, and her heart leapt as she realized he was trying to break through his nerves on his own. Hoping to help him win his internal battle, she smiled warmly and leaned in close enough he could feel her breath on his lips, and he licked his own to wet them. They glistened softly in the moonlight, so soft and tempting, and Roxanne found her own eyes lingering on them in the hopes she might soon taste them again. He seemed to catch onto her signals as he turned his body more towards hers, his hand lifting almost timidly to her face. When she didn't flinch away from his touch, he smiled and let his fingers run back through her hair, visibly softening before her eyes. "You are so beautiful…" he breathed in obvious awe, and Roxanne's heart nearly did a somersault as she realized he was speaking directly from his. His warm gaze was memorizing her every feature, his lips drifting towards hers and away again as he seemed to be winning his internal struggle. "So very beautiful… How could I resist…? Oh, Roxanne…" Finally overcoming his hesitation, he leaned in and pressed his lips firmly to hers with a moan of absolute delight, Roxanne answering it with her own.

Megamind's kiss was like fire, setting every nerve in Roxanne's body alight as she melted into his lips and wrapped her arms around him, savoring every moment of his kiss and hungry for more. His arms encircled her and held her tight beneath his cape, his kiss tender and gentle, but when she squeezed him tighter, pulling his body in closer, his kiss slowly began to grow more passionate. Roxanne almost moaned when she felt his tongue graze her lower lip hesitantly, as if unsure it was OK for him to go any further. Eager to encourage his uncertain advances, when she felt his tongue on her lip again, she parted her lips for him, inviting him in. He moaned softly as he took the hint, slowly pushing his tongue inside her mouth, and she melted into his arms as it pressed against hers, purring in delight into his mouth… Oh, his kiss was like an electrical charge… It was making her whole body tingle…

It wasn't long before the heat between them began to grow and Roxanne found herself sighing his name between kisses as they gasped for air. Hearing her calling his name seemed to be almost like a drug to Megamind as it spurned him on and only intensified his passion, her eager caress on his back and grasping nails digging at his clothing doing little else but adding fuel to the fire. His own blue hands were caressing her back in turn as he continually leaned into her, and Roxanne quickly found herself barely able to remain sitting upright as his body pressed in closer to hers, though she had to admit, she wasn't sure if she wanted to remain sitting at all... Megamind seemed unable to stop himself, and as the heat of their kiss quickly rose to an almost unbearable level, he moaned into her mouth and determinedly pushed forward, gently pushing her to the ground beneath him…

The cape having fallen to the ground and forgotten long ago, as the two suddenly found themselves in such an intimate position, Megamind drew his lips back from Roxanne's for just a moment as his eyes glanced to hers to see if she was OK with this. She could see the desire in his eyes, his eyelids half closed, breath hot on her lips. She was just as lost in this as he was, and she didn't want to stop. Smiling at him to encourage him further, a sound almost like a purr rumbled from his throat as he leaned in and brought his lips back to hers to kiss her again, but they didn't remain there for long… "Oh, Roxanne…" he sighed, his kiss moving from her lips to her throat, and she moaned audibly as he began to suck on her skin. Every time his soft blue lips pressed against her smooth skin, she squirmed and writhed beneath him as shivers of desire coursed down her spine with an intensity she'd never felt before. As she let out a particularly loud squeal, he chuckled and asked as he continued to suck at her skin, "Is that good?"

"Don't stop…" Roxanne found herself panting, her hands roaming all over his giant blue head. He chuckled, but continued to tease her neck, experimenting as he nibbled on her tender flesh in a way that made her gasp and pull at his body to hold him closer. "Don't stop! Unnnh… Megamind… How did you get so… Aaah! Have you done this before?"

Megamind chuckled mischievously, and answered in as confident a tone as he could muster, "Of course I have! I'm a master at…" Roxanne shrugged him off her neck to stare him in the eye as she cast him her best I'm-not-buying-it expression, and he chuckled as he grinned at her sheepishly and admitted, "All right, all right… I don't have a clue what I'm doing, but it feels good." He bit his lower lip for a moment, then asked curiously, "What about you? Have you ever…?"

Roxanne felt her cheeks grow hot as she blushed and shook her head. "No… I've kissed boys before, but I've never… gone all the way. I'm just as new at this as you are."

He smiled at her warmly, then seemed to realize what she was implying as his entire face and even his ears flushed a bright purple and he asked, licking his lips almost hungrily, "Roxanne… How far did you… want to go?"

Roxanne giggled, pulling him back towards her lips as she insisted, "Let's not put limits on this, OK? I'll tell you to stop if I want you to, and you can do the same. Sound good?"

Megamind chuckled, his lips pressing to hers again to steal a kiss, eager to pick up where he left off. "Sounds great," he agreed, and without another moment's hesitation, he brought his lips to hers, his tongue delving into her mouth once again to dance with hers.

Roxanne moaned into his mouth as he kissed her, holding him tight as she fisted his shirt in her hands, suddenly wanting to rip it off him. He shifted his hips against her, and despite his eager kiss and the warm sensations it was creating in her body, she suddenly recalled the conversation she had heard in the bathroom at school earlier that day and simply couldn't get it out of her head. "Megamind?" she asked almost breathlessly as his lips slipped back down her throat to linger on her collar bone.

"Hmmm?" he practically purred against her skin, nipping at the nape of her neck before working his way up to her earlobe.

Roxanne moaned softly as he began to toy with her ear, his tongue running circles around it as he teased her. "Oh… How to say this without offending you…" she began anxiously, breathlessly. "Um… What… do you look like, uhh… _down there_?"

Megamind paused for a moment in surprise, then chuckled seductively as he practically purred into her ear, "Oh, eager, aren't we? Are you asking to see it? You little temptress… I thought we'd ease into this a bit first…"

Roxanne grinned at him awkwardly as he pulled back to look into her eyes and she explained, "Well… I didn't quite mean it _that_ way… I want to take this slow, too… But, um…" She giggled in embarrassment as she pointed out, "I can feel something pressing into my thigh, and I want to know what I'm in for. You are… Well… An _alien_, after all… I just wondered if you were the same as we are in that respect, or are you… different?"

He blinked at her, obviously surprised and rather stunned. "_Different_?" he repeated in confusion. "How would I be _different_? I'm male…"

Roxanne could feel her cheeks growing hot as she explained gently, "Well, I overheard these girls talking about you in the bathroom today… They were, uh… speculating about what you might have down there…"

"They were _what_?" Megamind's tone was flat, reflecting the shock evident in his eyes.

Roxanne nodded. "Well, they pointed out that you're not exactly human… And, uh… suggested something about, er… _tentacles_?"

Megamind drew back, his eyebrow raised as he screwed up his face in disgust. "_Tentacles?_ Why on Earth would I have _tentacles_? Do I look like a squid to you?"

Roxanne cleared her throat as she went on, "They also mentioned horses…"

Megamind rolled his eyes and shook his head, hiding his face in his hand. "Oh, God… Why are they even speculating about…? It's none of their business!" He groaned, then looked her seriously in the eye and assured her, "I may be an alien, Roxanne, but apart from the obvious differences, I'm just like any other male of your species… I can assure you there's nothing weird going on down there, no tentacles, no slime. It's not barbed, or hooked, or ribbed, or anything like that, and I can't draw it back into my body any more than any other man can. There's nothing down there out of the ordinary. Just me."

"Please don't be frustrated, Megamind…" Roxanne pleaded in the hopes she hadn't spoiled the mood. He huffed, but seemed to calm when she ran her hands up and down his sides, her eyes soft as they gazed into his. "I'm sorry I asked, but I needed to know, in case we… Well, you know."

A soft smile crept back onto Megamind's lips as he reiterated, "Well, now you know." He glanced away for a moment, then blushed as he met her eyes again and asked, "Do you want to see it?"

Roxanne bit her lower lip, her cheeks burning at the offer. The place between her legs that was steadily growing warmer and wetter with every passing moment she was near him was screaming at her to say yes, but she tried to leash her body's urges. The last thing she wanted to do was rush him, or herself. She wanted to go at a more natural pace, and if it happened it did, and if not, she was fine with that too. "Let's not rush it," she decided, insistently pulling him back down into her arms. He smiled in what was obviously a mix of both relief and excitement as she insisted, "But we'll see where this goes. Unless you want to stop?"

Megamind shook his head, relaxing back into her arms as she felt his hips – and what lay between them – pressing eagerly against her thigh. He was definitely aroused; she could feel it even through his pants… "No… I don't want to stop, unless you want me to?"

"Not at all," Roxanne assured him, then gladly welcomed his lips back to her own with a sigh of intense delight. He practically purred into her mouth, his touch betraying his desire, and she held him to her tighter. She never wanted him to stop…

Megamind wasted no time picking up where he had left off, quickly working himself – and Roxanne – into a frenzy of desire. His kiss was intoxicating, and when his lips worked on her collar bone it was like magic… His hands kept sliding up and down her neck and sides, but his fingers kept trying to wander, his thumb brushing briefly against her breast as though to test the waters and see how she would react. She sighed in a way she knew encouraged him to explore, and as he breathed her name in a breathy tone laden with desire, he gave in to his urges and let his hands find her breasts. He squeezed them gently through the fabric of her shirt and bra and moaned softly at their feel. "Oh, Roxanne…" he breathed her name again, his hands caressing her soft mounds, and Roxanne found herself moaning as he worked her flesh in ways that were driving her crazy.

Roxanne could feel herself quickly losing control, and as he brushed aside her bra through the fabric of her shirt, his long, thin fingers finding and teasing her pert nipple, she grasped the fabric of his own shirt tight within her fingers and released a desperate moan, tugging on it in an insistent signal he didn't miss. As a sound somewhere between a growl and a moan caught in Megamind's throat, he pulled himself away from her just long enough to sit up, pulling his shirt up and over his head to toss carelessly aside. In the brief moment her eyes were given to admire his bare upper body before he lied back down atop her to continue his explorations of her own, Roxanne's breath was stolen away. He was completely hairless, his chest smooth and well-toned. His nipples were a shade of darker blue than the rest of his body, pert and erect in response to the cool night air and his arousal. Though hardly as muscular as Metro Man, his muscles were well-toned and lean, tight on his body as he leaned back in to bring his lips back to the nape of her neck, his fingers returning to her nipple as though they'd never left. "Oh, Megamind…" Roxanne sighed his name, her hands caressing him all over his bare skin. He moaned and lifted his torso just enough for her as she moved her hands to run over his chest, her fingers tracing every contour, every rib, memorizing his anatomy by feel alone. He gasped as she ran a nail over a nipple, and she couldn't resist but to do it again, thrilling at the sharp intake of breath she drew from him each time at the action.

As Roxanne's fingers drifted down to his abdominal muscles, she suddenly became aware of Megamind's eyes on her and noticed his fingers were poised on the buttons of her blouse. His eyes were asking for permission as he insisted in a voice so seductive it made her feel weak, "Fair is fair…" Too caught up in her own breathless revelry to speak, she merely smiled and nodded at him, and in moments he had managed to unbutton her shirt and was helping to slip it off her. He moaned as he blushed at the sight that lay bared to him, only her bra left to hide her ample bosom from his eyes. "Mmmm… Roxanne…" he purred, delving in to brush every inch of her exposed skin with his lips, his fingers tracing over her every curve as Roxanne wondered how he was managing to keep from ravaging her right then and there… She was having a hard enough time controlling herself…

It wasn't long before what little restraint Roxanne still had began to fade. All she could think about was Megamind lying naked beside her, his warm blue body pressed against hers… Her body was screaming at her to give in, to go through with it. It was quickly becoming an effort to keep moving slowly, her breaths coming in hot and heavy gasps as his fingers slipped beneath the cups of her bra to feel the flesh itself, and she began to lose the battle. "Megamind… Megamind, the bra…" she gasped, and his fingers obediently moved to unhook the undergarment. Her breasts fell free as he pulled it away, and the soft moan that escaped his lips at the sight was almost more than she could take. He dipped down to breathe on her nipples, whispering her name in a tone of utter reverence, then took one of the pink nubs gently into his mouth. As he began to suck on it, his tongue flicking against the sensitive flesh as his hand worked her other breast, his hip shifting against hers, she moaned loudly, crying his name into the night without a care. "Megamind! Megamind!" Her hands fastened onto his belt and she pulled his hips to hers, pressing him hard between her legs as she felt him shudder in desire, moaning against her breast. She could feel how hard he was through the fabric of their clothing, her center growing wetter at the thought of what lay beneath those tight black jeans, straining to be released from its prison and join with her. As Megamind rocked his hips once against hers, teasing her as he pressed his hardness against her warm core, she knew she wanted him. She wanted him badly, and she wanted him _now_. She let her fingers trail along the edges of his pants before finally moving them to his belt buckle, her fingers deftly moving to unfasten it…

Roxanne didn't get very far before Megamind realized what she was doing and went perfectly still. Raising his head enough to look into her eyes as she paused midway through removing his studded leather belt, he asked her softly, seriously, his cheeks a soft violet, "Are you sure you want to take this further, Roxanne? I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do…"

"I want you," Roxanne insisted in a voice heavy with desire. "I need you…" She pressed his hips to hers with one hand as the other moved to trace his ear, an area she had quickly learned was a highly sensitive erogenous zone for the big-headed blue alien and quickly had him moaning on top of her. "Do you want to stop?" she asked as he began to rock his hips against her, obviously aroused to a point that was becoming painful.

Megamind shook his head, admitting in a voice that dripped with seduction, "No, but I want to make sure you _want_ it. I want you, Roxanne… So badly…" He moaned as she began to nibble on his earlobe, crying out almost desperately, "Oh, God! Stop! I'll lose control! Unnnh… Roxanne… I love you…"

Roxanne paused in her actions, drawing back to look him in the eye. He'd said it. He'd actually said it! He loved her – _Megamind_ loved her! She had known it all along, but to hear him actually say it was like music to her ears. He was blushing, his smile warm and genuine, and she knew in that moment he would have done anything she asked of him. All she had to do was say the word. As it was, he was offering her his body as well as his heart, and she found it was a gift she could not refuse. "Oh, Megamind… I love you too!" she cried, then throwing her arms around his long, elegant neck, she drew his lips to hers and kissed him with a passion that stole his breath away.

When at last Roxanne pulled away from the kiss it was to reach down and unfasten the zipper to her skirt, eagerly shimmying out of it as Megamind helped her pull it off. Kicking off her shoes and now lying naked beneath him except for a pair of lacy blue panties she had worn just for him, she tugged at his belt and used his own line back at him, "Fair is fair…" Megamind chuckled, but nodded, his eyes warm and seductive as he pulled his gaze away from her panties, pulled off his boots, unfastened his belt, and unzipped his pants. Pulling them off and throwing them aside, he was left in nothing but a pair of skin-tight black boxer-briefs, but the sigh of relief as he was freed from his denim prison was all Roxanne needed to hear to know he was so aroused he was definitely in pain. She smiled as she ran her eyes hungrily over his lean, thin body, lingering on the noticeable bulge straining against the spandex fabric between his legs. He looked as though he were about to tear through the thing, he was so hard…

As Megamind's fingers slowly began to explore her body, starting at her thighs and working their way in, Roxanne's did the same. Slowly sliding her fingers over his hips, she ran her hands back over his firm backside, relishing the feel of it as he growled into her ear, a sound that sent shivers of desire coursing down her spine. His hands were caressing her thighs, slowly drifting to her inner thighs as he traced her panty-line, but all thought of what he was doing ceased and he went still as Roxanne brought her hands back around his hips and slipped them firmly between his legs. She purred into his ear as she stroked his hardened length through the spandex material, feeling him stiffen even further at her touch as he moaned heavily. Eager to see him at last without material in the way, she slipped her fingers beneath the elastic edge of his boxer-briefs to indicate her intentions and smiled when he gladly shifted to remove them for her, pulling them off and tossing them aside to join the rest of his discarded clothing.

Megamind was naked, and Roxanne could not have been more pleased with the view that met her eyes.

The gossiping girls in the bathroom had definitely been way off. There were no squirming tentacles to meet her eyes, nor was he gross and slimy. He was no different than any human male, except of course, that he was blue. His tip was a soft purple like the blush that graced his cheeks at that moment, and there wasn't a single hair on him, but other than that, he appeared much the same as any typical man. He was watching her shyly, she knew, and she smiled up at him as she reached down to touch him, her fingers running almost reverently up and down his shaft as he shivered and sighed above her. He twitched in her hand, throbbing in anticipation, and as she allowed her other hand to feel his balls, squeezing them softly, she knew she couldn't wait any longer. "Oh, Megamind… You're beautiful," she assured him, relishing the warm smile the remark brought to his lips, and as she finally let his member fall from her hands, she reached down and quickly removed her own panties, carelessly casting them aside.

Megamind moaned as her center was revealed to him, leaning in to kiss her lips passionately as he let his fingers find the warm, moist area between her legs to explore. Roxanne gasped as his fingers slid along her center, brushing past the nerve bundle that sent shockwaves of pleasure coursing through her being any time it was touched. Picking up on her delight, he repeated the action, then again, and again, quickly heightening her pleasure as her body responded to his stimulation. But it was a tease, and when she felt a finger slip slowly inside her body to feel her, followed by another, she gasped and cried out insistently, "Unnh… Megamind! Please! Please, Megamind…" Megamind chuckled softly, the sound melting into a purr as he withdrew his fingers from her center and curiously licked them to taste her. Seeming to like what he tasted, he closed his eyes and sucked her juices from his fingers, then grinned in satisfaction to himself as he lowered himself on top of her, positioning his hips between hers.

"Roxanne… I love you…" Megamind whispered to her softly as he guided his member to hover just outside her entrance.

"I love you, too," Roxanne whispered back, then moaned in delight as she felt him enter her body…

Megamind moaned as he gently pushed himself inside her, and Roxanne sighed as she felt his member slip deep into her body, filling her up. The sensation was almost startling at first, but pleasurable, and when he finally managed to get his entire length inside her and began to rock his hips back and forth, she sighed loudly in delight as her body filled with an ecstasy unlike anything she'd ever felt before. Megamind's arms wrapped around her, holding her close as he kissed her wherever his lips could fall, and she held him just as tightly back, her legs hooked around his waist, keeping him inside her as their bodies moved as one. "Oh, Megamind…" she sighed his name repeatedly, and he answered her with her own, breathing it into her ear with a reverence that made her heart melt. After the first few thrusts, he began to move even faster as his confidence grew, and she found herself clawing at his back, begging for more. Oh, she simply couldn't get enough…

Roxanne had never felt so close to anyone before in her life, but with Megamind she felt as though she had forged a connection so deep that no one could break it, and as their bodies seemed to melt into one, her heart swelled with the bond she knew their union had created between them. They were still lost in the throes of their passion, their bodies writhing and moving together as they sweated in their heat despite the cool night air, but she could still feel that bond growing. She had known he was hers before, but now there was no doubt in her mind of it. "Unnnh… Roxanne…" he sighed her name, trying to drive himself even deeper inside her, and she moaned, holding him tightly in return.

Megamind's thrusts steadily grew harder and deeper the longer they were joined, responding to her cries and subtle signals. Quickly picking up on what kind of movements pleased her and which ones didn't, he thrust his hips into her in a steady, fast rhythm that soon had her writhing as she felt her climax begin to rise. Sensing she was on the verge of something big, Megamind continued to drive his length as deep inside her as he could go, moving it in and out, in, out, keeping up a steady pace that quickly sent her tumbling over the edge. Screaming in pleasure as her body orgasmed, she couldn't help but dig her nails into his back as wave after wave of ecstasy enveloped her. It was all Megamind could take. As her body tightened around his, he moaned loudly as his own climax overtook him, his fluids erupting from his body to spill into hers with every deep thrust, his arms holding her to him tight. She could feel him filling her up with every pulse of his ejaculation as she held his hips to her, delighting in the feel of his own climax as it coincided with hers. Oh, he felt so good…

When at last they both had finished, Megamind collapsed beside Roxanne, panting for his breath as she was, both holding each other close. "Oh, Megamind… Megamind, that was incredible…" Roxanne sighed, squeezing him tight as she buried her nose into his neck.

"You're telling me…" Megamind sighed back, still reeling from the pleasure of their union. His face had a delightfully satisfied after-sex glow to it Roxanne couldn't help but love, and he sighed in absolute delight. "I never thought in a million years it would feel _that_ good… Oh, Roxanne, you were magnificent! We have _got_ to do _that_ again!"

Roxanne giggled, kissing him on the nose playfully as she assured him, "We will. I promise." Glancing at her watch, she had to keep from groaning as she realized what time it was. "Oh, 9:45 already… I guess we ought to get you back to the prison…"

Megamind groaned, reluctantly moving to stand up as he helped her to her feet as well. "Yeah, I guess so… Oh, I hate for this to end though… Mmmm, that was so… _fantastic_…" His eyes were warm as he gazed into hers though, both reluctant to move to get dressed. "I love you, Roxanne…"

"I love you too, Megamind," Roxanne whispered back, then gestured to his clothing. "Now get dressed. We have to go." Nodding, Megamind sighed and gathered up his clothes, quickly dressing before picking up his cape and leading the way back to the invisible car. _All good things must come to an end_, Roxanne reluctantly reminded herself as she climbed into the front passenger's seat. _Even this, but it won't be the last time. It was merely the first._ She exchanged a warm smile with Megamind for a moment, then he hit the gas as he sped off back towards the city to pick Minion up at the school and drop her off at her car.

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><p>Roxanne almost couldn't stop grinning when she went to bed that night, wishing that Megamind could be lying beside her as she remembered how he had felt as he made love to her, his body so warm lying atop her, his member throbbing and twitching as it moved inside her. She still blushed at the fact that she'd actually gone through with it, but it had just felt… <em>right<em>. None of her previous boyfriends ever had. She had liked them, but they had never made her feel the way that Megamind did. Some of them had even been pushy, trying to convince her to sleep with them when she was definitely not ready for it… But not Megamind. Even as they lost themselves in the throes of passion, she had known he'd have stopped at any time if she had wanted him to. There was nothing artificial about the way he had treated her… When he kissed her, it was from genuine affection. When he touched her, he touched her with reverent adoration. And when he made love to her… Oh, when he made love to her it was with the passion of a man who ached to be as close to her as their bodies could physically allow, a man who yearned to bond his heart to hers in every way possible. More concerned with satisfying her desires than his own, every move of his body as they'd joined together had been meant for _her_, every caress tender, every kiss laden with emotion. It hadn't been the _sex_ Megamind was after when he'd made love to her that night; it had been her _heart_. She had given it to him gladly.

Roxanne sighed to herself in delight as she realized that she could easily brag about her affairs with Megamind to the girls in school, getting back at them for all the months and years (in some cases) of teasing she'd had to put up with from them for not having had sex sooner, but she wasn't that kind of girl. They could go on about the boys they'd slept with, giggling amongst each other about the kinds of things they did behind closed doors, but not her. Her romance with Megamind was a private affair, and even if she'd wanted to, she could never humiliate him that way. For all his bad boy bravado, Megamind was actually a very shy and easily embarrassed man, very self-conscious, especially when it came to any form of affection, and she knew if she or anyone else started gossiping about his sexual performance he would not only be deeply offended, but hurt by what she was certain he would consider a betrayal of his trust. The words Minion had spoken to her just that morning echoed in her ears… _"We've never been able to trust a human…"_ Without even having to say it aloud, every time she looked into Megamind's eyes, they confirmed that claim, screaming of an innate distrust in humankind and an inherent belief that anyone human would _always_ hurt or betray him somehow. She could tell it had taken a lot for him to trust even _her_, a fact that screamed of how deeply he cared about her since he was willing to set aside those fears and doubts and let her in to see the real _him_. The fact he was even willing to go so far as to make love to her, to let her become a part of him, to give himself over to her and trust her not to hurt him awed her and struck her breathless. No. There was no way she would _ever_ hurt that man, even if it meant keeping her newfound sexual activity a secret from her nosey friends and letting them continue thinking she was still just a know-nothing virgin. It was a secret she would gladly keep.

Roxanne smiled warmly to herself and hugged her blue alien plushie close as her mind swam with thoughts of the living blue alien who loved her. They had been browsing the Metro City Science Museum's gift shop that afternoon, and Megamind had spotted her smiling at the plushie where it sat on the display. Though he had chuckled at it and shaken his head, his eyes scanning over its exaggerated features – most notably its big head and insect-like black eyes, he had taken it to the register and bought it for her, giving it a soft hug before passing it to her and insisting in a soft voice both shy and warm, "Think of me while you hold this at night…" Well, she was keeping her promise. The plush alien was not the one she really wanted to be holding, but it was a gift from him, and that made it special. She sniffed at its material skin and thought she could smell his scent on it, though she knew she was probably imagining things. Fantasy or not, it was a comforting thought, and she held it close to her heart as she closed her eyes to drift off to sleep, lost in dreams of her dashing blue lover.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: This chapter is rated PG for a few suggestive remarks/discussions, but otherwise no warnings for this one! I hope you guys like it! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 15**

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><p>Roxanne waited for Megamind in her seat at school the next morning, eager to see him again. Her dreams had been filled with his sighs, images of his soft blue skin and wet blue lips dancing through her head and intensifying her desire to see his handsome blue face. She intended to make the most of the time they had together in school, their next date scheduled for that Saturday night. The warden wouldn't let her get him out again a day sooner, claiming he had been out too much already and obviously ancy about how much time the blue convict was spending away from his watchful eyes. She would simply have to be patient, and in the meantime she would see him at school.<p>

Metro Man arrived to class shortly after Roxanne did, but this time, he merely took his seat without trying to engage her in conversation. He was giving her her space, she realized, a sign of his respect for her, and when he glanced over his shoulder to cast her a simple smile, she breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't seem to be harboring any ill will towards her at all, merely backing off to respect her wishes as she'd wanted. She couldn't help but feel glad that her relationship with the burly future hero hadn't been completely broken. He had taken her criticism in stride, and she was glad to see him growing from it rather than simply becoming resentful. Lesser men would have turned their backs on her, but not Metro Man. She would have to catch up with him later.

When Megamind arrived that morning, he barely even acknowledged Metro Man's existence, his eyes strictly on Roxanne's as he practically danced over to his seat, throwing himself casually down into it as he greeted her warmly and rather excitedly, "Good morning, Roxanne! Did you sleep well last night?"

Roxanne giggled, catching the sly gleam in his eyes, and she knew his mind was on the same thing as hers. "_Very_ well," she practically purred, casting him a knowing smirk. "And yourself?"

Megamind chuckled mischievously as he assured her, "Never better!" Dropping his voice low so only she could hear, he bit his lower lip and leaned in close, adding coyly, "I dreamed of you all night, you little temptress…"

Roxanne grinned and replied simply, "Well… That makes two of us then, you sexy blue devil…" He bit his lip hard to keep his grin from swallowing his face, his cheeks a bright purple, and she giggled as she smiled at him warmly, pointing out a little sadly, "A shame we can't go out again until Saturday, but I think the warden's getting a little anxious…"

Megamind chuckled, grinning mischievously. "Oh, he's _always_ anxious about me… But you're right." He sighed in disappointment, practically pouting at her. "He doesn't want me out that often. Says I'm getting a little 'too much freedom.'"

Roxanne tried not to giggle at the mocking faces Megamind was making as he repeated the warden's words. "It's a shame, but we'll just have to make due," she insisted softly, reaching over to rest her hand on his. His smile instantly brightened, his gaze softening, and she could swear she saw him melt in his seat just a little. She thought of saying something further, but at that moment Mrs. Green entered the room and Roxanne reluctantly fell silent, turning her attention to the teacher as she began to take roll call.

Roxanne may have been paying attention to the teacher, but Megamind definitely was not. Too stimulated by the future reporter's close proximity, he bit his lower lip and leaned across the gap between their desks to whisper to her, "I can't get you out of my head…"

Roxanne tried not to giggle, scolding him quietly, "Hush, Megamind! You're going to get us in trouble!"

"So?" Megamind grinned mischievously. "I'm always in trouble. What's new about that?"

"That may be, but _I'm_ not," Roxanne giggled, trying to gesture for him to settle down.

"What are you, _Mrs._ Goody-Two-Shoes?" Megamind taunted her. "I thought you _liked_ being _bad_…"

"Megamind! Miss Ritchi!" Mrs. Green suddenly boomed, and Roxanne jumped as Megamind merely frowned at the woman. "Quiet down or I'll send you both to detention!"

Roxanne shot Megamind an I-told-you-so look as he merely snickered, Metro Man raising an eyebrow at them from his seat in the front of the room. Roxanne turned her attention back to the teacher as Megamind pulled out his notebook, scribbling furiously on a blank page. A few moments later, Roxanne felt a nudge on her elbow and looked over to see the energetic blue teenager trying to discreetly pass her a folded note. Glancing quickly towards Mrs. Green, she reached out and took it from him, opening it beneath her desk where she hoped the teacher wouldn't see. He'd drawn a stylized lightning bolt in one corner and wrote simply, "I'm feeling _bad_… Want to play hookie?" She snickered softly and shook her head at him. He frowned and quickly scribbled another note, passing it to her under their desks. This one read simply, "Goody Goody." She had to hold her breath to keep from laughing out loud.

A few moments later, Roxanne felt another nudge on her arm and received a third note from Megamind. Opening it up beneath her desk, she was greeted by an image of spiked handcuffs and the message, "How about a little 'Jailhouse Rock' on Saturday? I've got the handcuffs…" She barely managed to stifle her laughter, quickly writing back, "I'll bring the boogie." His delighted grin as he bit his lower lip and raised his eyebrows after reading it made the risk of passing him the note worthwhile.

Unfortunately, the next time Megamind tried to pass her a note, he was caught. "Megamind!" Mrs. Green's voice cut through the air like a knife, and the blue teenager froze mid-pass as her eyes fell on him. "Bring it to me." Megamind huffed, but obeyed, striding coolly to the front of the room to slap the sheet of paper into her hand. She frowned at him, then determined, "Let's see what was so important that it couldn't wait until after class, shall we?" Opening the paper up, she read aloud, "Spikes are cool, and chains are too. I'm incredibly bored… How about you?" She glared at Megamind who was snickering wickedly and shoved the paper back at him. "Get back to your seat. We'll see you and Miss Ritchi tonight in detention."

Megamind was laughing all the way back to his seat, slyly whispering to Roxanne, "It was totally worth it…" The young woman just shook her head and tried not to laugh herself.

* * *

><p>Roxanne didn't even have to go looking for Megamind at lunch that day. He found her.<p>

Eager to spend any time at all with her, the charismatic blue teenager was waiting for her excitedly the moment she stepped outside the school building and into the courtyard, and wasted no time in darting forward to take her by the hand and whisk her away to a large tree. It wasn't the same one he usually frequented, but as he explained while he helped her to climb up it, "The local jocks know about the other tree, so we're less likely to be found in this one. Besides," he added with a smirk, deftly scaling up the tree to sit on the branch beside her, his eyes seductive, "More leaves means more cover…"

Roxanne giggled, teasing him coyly, "You assume too much, Megamind! What makes you think we'll even need any cover?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing…" Megamind tried to play innocent, but his eyes were shining. "I'm just saying we have it if we need it, that's all…"

"Mmmhmm… Well, we'll just have to see what happens then, won't we?" Roxanne smirked, and he chuckled mischievously. She handed him half of her sandwich and insisted, "Eat first. Play later." His eyes lit up at the comment as a grin split his face, and she laughed.

"Oh, but Miss Ritchi, the '_play_' is the best part…" Megamind purred in a sensual tone that made her knees go weak.

"Even so, eat your lunch," Roxanne giggled, and after laughing mischievously for a moment, he finally took a bite of the ham and cheese sandwich. Looking around at the tree's yellowing leaves, she remarked casually, "You know, as lovely as this is, it would be nice to spend lunch with you one of these days and not have to go climb a tree or hide in a chemistry lab to do it. What are you going to do when all the leaves fall off the trees and you lose your cover, or it gets too cold to come out here anyway? Where will you hide then?"

"You are assuming, Roxanne Ritchi, that I will still be a student at this _shool_ and not Evil Overlord of Metrocity," Megamind pointed out with a smirk. "Who's to say I'll be here that long?"

"For the sake of argument then," Roxanne patiently pressed him.

Megamind chuckled softly. "Fair enough. I guess it can't hurt to have a plan B." He scratched his big blue head, suddenly looking awkward, then admitted, "Of course, there is no plan B… I hadn't planned to be here this long really, to be honest… But I'll think of something."

Her developing reporter's instincts kicking in, Roxanne couldn't help but ask, "So you were planning to attack the city before now? When? What stopped you?"

Megamind's vivid green eyes met hers as he answered in a voice full of awe, "You." Roxanne blinked, but felt a small smile tugging at her lips. "I'll be honest with you, Roxanne… I had planned to attack during the Homecoming dance to ruin it for everyone… But then you… I mean, I never expected you to actually… agree to go with me…" His eyes were shy as he blushed, but he forced them to meet hers. "I thought you were with Metro Man. I was convinced you could never care for me… I'm the _villain_. But then you said you'd go with me… And, well… That changed everything." He reached out and rested his hand tenderly over hers, smiling at her gently. "I'd do anything for you, Roxanne, even put off my destiny. It's worth it just to see you smile at me and to have the freedom to touch you… Among other _things_…"

Roxanne giggled, knowing exactly what he was alluding to, and she squeezed his hand in hers tight. "Yes, it is _very_ nice to have the freedom to take you out of that jail and spend time with you _alone_. We couldn't do that if you attacked the city. They'd never let you out again."

"I can always break out," Megamind insisted, shrugging carelessly as he finished off his sandwich, but there was an undertone of uncertainty in his voice Roxanne didn't fail to catch, and she smiled as she realized he was having second thoughts about the whole thing… Even if he wouldn't admit it.

"And then you'd always be on the run. You could never walk freely in public again, or go out with me anywhere without a disguise to hide you," Roxanne pointed out gently. He blinked, but didn't respond, his eyes betraying a certain anxiety she knew meant he'd already considered that fact. Softening her tone, she insisted, "Look, Megamind… Just give it some time before you make your decision whether you really want to go through with this whole supervillain thing, all right? I'm hoping that the talent show will help you see that you can impress people just the way you are without having to attack or rule them."

"Mmmm…" Megamind sighed softly, his eyes growing instantly nervous at the mention of the talent show. "I've put my name on the list for the talent show, but I'm still not sure about it. Every time I've tried to impress anyone, it somehow blew up in my face…"

"You'll do just fine," Roxanne assured him, smiling at him with such certainty in her eyes he finally smiled back at her. "Just be yourself, and let them see what they're missing. You'll turn their heads, I know you will."

"I hope you're right," Megamind admitted. "But I'm not going to count on it. The only one I expect to impress… I _hope_ to impress is _you_."

"You've always impressed me," Roxanne smiled at him warmly, watching in delight as his own smile brightened. "I don't think that will ever change."

"Yes, well… _You_ impressed me last night…" Megamind commented, blushing softly. Roxanne's smile brightened as she scooted in even closer to him, taking his hands in hers. He bit his lower lip for a moment, even his ears turning a light shade of purple, then focused his eyes shyly on hers as he admitted, "I kept waiting for you to stop me… To throw me off… But you didn't. You just told me to keep going… Oh, Roxanne, you made me feel so warm… I've never felt so… _loved_. You took my breath away."

Roxanne could feel her own cheeks burning as she leaned in close to him, close enough to feel his breath on her lips as she replied, "Well, you certainly robbed me of mine, so I guess we're even." Megamind chuckled and practically melted in front of her eyes, his vivid green eyes softening as his lips drew closer to hers before pulling back again, obviously fighting the temptation to kiss her. Even after everything they'd done, he was still shy about initiating the first kiss, but she knew if she was patient, he would do it. "No one else has ever made me feel the way that you do, Megamind. I love you so much, and last night you showed me just how much you love me… I don't ever want to lose you."

"You won't…" Megamind breathed in awe, then closed his eyes as he found himself unable to resist the draw of her lips, bringing his in to press against them in a tender kiss that made Roxanne's heart soar.

Careful not to lose their balance on the tree limb, the two turned towards each other as their kiss deepened, Roxanne gently pressing herself close into his embrace as they wrapped their arms around one another, holding each other close. Roxanne moaned softly into his mouth as his tongue slowly pushed its way into hers. He tasted wonderful, his tongue gliding over hers as she heard him sigh in delight, his grip on her back tightening in deeply felt affection. Oh, how she loved him… She could never get enough of his wonderful blue lips…

Their kiss didn't last long before they suddenly heard some overly-dramatic horrified screams coming from below them and reluctantly broke away from the kiss to see the high school's jocks staring up at them in disgust. "Oh, gross! The blue freak is tonguing Roxanne!" they were taunting, and Roxanne could feel Megamind stiffen in her arms as he frowned dangerously.

"Oh, that is just wrong!"

"So gross!"

"Why don't you keep your noses where they belong before I rip them from your faces?" Megamind growled at the larger, stronger teenagers, gently pushing Roxanne off him as he moved to crouch on the tree limb, facing them down.

The bullies laughed at him, obviously unafraid. "Look, Boys! The _freak_ actually thinks he can fight us!"

Too late, Roxanne realized Megamind had no intentions of leading the boys on a wild goose chase to avoid a beating this time. Offended by their intrusion and their taunting and obviously highly protective of his mate, Megamind hissed at the jocks with all the venom he could muster into his voice, "I'll make you regret the day you challenged _me_!" Without even waiting for a response from them and before Roxanne could try to stop him, he sprang from the tree branch to land deftly in the middle of them, his hands balled into fists as he charged at the nearest teenage boy to throw the first punch…

"Megamind!" Roxanne gasped in horror and concern, but it was too late. The fight unfolded before her like a nightmare… Megamind managed to glance a blow to the first boy's jaw, but was immediately met with a direct punch to his own that made him stagger back a step. He didn't miss a beat, recovering quickly, but the jocks descended upon him like a pack of wolves. He was outnumbered, and never had a chance… For every punch he threw that managed to hit its target, he took at least three to his enormous head or his ribs. Roxanne scurried down the tree to try to break up the fight, but couldn't break through, Minion dropping out of the higher limbs and trying desperately to weave his way through their feet to trip them up. "Stop! Please, stop!" Roxanne was crying, but no one was listening, and Megamind was being beaten mercilessly…

As the fight began to draw attention, students rushing over to watch and cheer the jocks on while Megamind did his best just to dodge their blows, rapidly losing ground, Roxanne could feel tears stinging her eyes as she looked around desperately for anything or _anyone_ who could put a stop to it. As more students poured in and a chant of, "Fight! Fight! Fight!" began to fill the cool autumn air, she finally spotted Metro Man hovering in the air in the distance, his attention finally drawn. Looking desperately towards him, she pleaded with him over the roaring crowd, "Metro Man, please, help him! I beg you!"

Hearing Roxanne's voice calling for his help, Metro Man didn't even hesitate.

His blue eyes steeled as his face twisted into a stern frown, Metro Man flew into action. Landing in the midst of them with a thump that shook the ground, he demanded coolly as the jocks froze, all eyes on him, "All right, that's enough! What's the meaning of all this?"

The one boy who'd been holding Megamind's shirt to steady him for his next punch reluctantly released the blue alien at a sharp glance from the resident hero, stammering out an explanation, "We caught the blue freak forcing himself on Roxanne Ritchi!"

Metro Man's eyes narrowed, his frown intensifying as his gaze turned quickly towards Roxanne for an explanation. "He did _no such thing_," she hissed, hurrying over to Megamind's side to check him over for injuries. He was frowning and looked sore, but at least he wasn't bleeding… She wondered at that fact. Any normal human man would have been severely bruised and bleeding from the severity of the beating he'd just taken… "He only kissed me!"

Metro Man looked away for a moment, suddenly looking awkward while Megamind's face flushed a deep shade of violet. "I did nothing wrong!" Megamind cried out in his defense, grabbing hold of Roxanne's shoulders to push her behind him in an obviously protective maneuver. "And I don't need _you_ to defend me, Metro Man!"

Metro Man groaned, shaking his head as he rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. Roxanne could tell he was struggling with himself, every one of his instincts screaming at him to haul the shorter blue alien away while he tried very hard to resist those urges for her sake. Sighing softly, he chose to ignore Megamind's challenge, and asked simply, "Who threw the first punch?"

Megamind straightened himself defensively as every eye and finger pointed directly at him. Knowing he was caught, he admitted fiercely, "I did, and I'd do it again!"

Metro Man shook his head, frowning. "You know the school's policy on fighting, Megamind. I'm afraid I have no choice." Megamind roared as Metro Man flew forwards to grab him by the collar, lifting him effortlessly off the ground as the blue teenager tried desperately to kick, punch, bite, and claw at him in an effort to break free, the whole school laughing at him. Roxanne looked horrified as Metro Man cast her an apologetic glance, then turned to the other boys involved as well. "All of you, follow me to the principal's office. Don't make me drag you in as well!" The jocks all complained and whined, but his gaze grew stern, and they finally gave in, obediently following him as he flew off to bring them all to the principal for punishment. Roxanne shook her head, trying not to cry at the horrific scene she'd just witnessed. Though disappointed that Metro Man had taken her boyfriend in to be disciplined for fighting, she was relieved to see that at least this time, he hadn't allowed Megamind's tormentors to get away with it. This time, even they would get their just desserts.

* * *

><p>Roxanne was relieved to see Megamind return to his classes after the incident, narrowly avoiding expulsion for "picking a fight." When asked if he was all right, he assured her he was a little sore, but fine. "I'm tougher than I look," he'd insisted in a very frustrated tone of voice, his eyes narrow and glaring at where Metro Man was sitting a few rows ahead of him. His eyes had grown apologetic as they moved to look into hers as he added softly, "The <em>shool<em> decided to let me off with a strong warning and a hefty sentence in detention, but they notified the warden, and I doubt he'll go as easy on me. I… I'm sorry, Roxanne, but I wouldn't count on being able to keep our date on Saturday… The warden knows he can hurt me by taking away my privileges, and that's exactly what he'll do when I go home tonight. We might not be able to go out again until after the talent show next week… If we're lucky…"

"Then we'll just have to be patient until then," Roxanne had insisted softly, her tone disappointed but understanding as she squeezed his hand in hers, "And take advantage of the time we _do_ have together here. We'll find somewhere else to go during lunch break. I think it's safe to say that trees are no longer safe." He had nodded, then fell silent as their teacher had come in to start class, reluctantly letting her hand fall away from his as he pulled out his notebook and started to scribble away at its pages.

* * *

><p>Roxanne hung around after school until detention let out in order to say goodbye to Megamind. She waited with him by the curb until the prison bus came to collect him, then hugged him tight, planting a tender kiss on his cheek before letting him go to be handcuffed and dragged onboard. He was blushing softly, but smiling as they slapped the cold, metal cuffs on him, his eyes on her the entire time as he and Minion stepped inside and took seats by the window closest to her. He mouthed the words, "I love you," through the glass, and Roxanne's heart soared, her eyes locked on his as she mouthed them right back, watching as the bus pulled away to take him back to the prison he called home. She sighed softly as it disappeared into the distance. She didn't think she would ever get used to seeing him carted off to jail every day, and it wasn't a sight she <em>wanted<em> to get used to.

Roxanne was still staring at the place where the prison bus had disappeared down the street when she heard the soft sound of feet touching down on the ground and looked to her right to see Metro Man gazing at her with an expression of gentle understanding. "You don't like watching him hauled off to prison, do you?" he pointed out gently, his tone soft and almost submissive.

Roxanne shook her head, sighing heavily. "No, I don't. He shouldn't be locked up in a place like that… It's not fair."

"Mmm…" Metro Man sighed, shifting awkwardly on his feet. "Roxy… I want you to know I did my best to get Megamind off the hook for this one… But he _did_ throw the first punch, and I couldn't deflect all of the heat off him…"

"Thank you, Metro Man," Roxanne smiled at him weakly. "They were beating him so cruelly… He was trying to defend me…"

Metro Man nodded slowly, his eyes growing gentle as he asked her softly, "Roxy, you're very serious about him, aren't you?"

"Yes… Yes, I am," Roxanne admitted calmly without hesitation.

To her surprise, rather than shaking his head in worry, Metro Man smiled at her instead, reaching out to squeeze her shoulders in a friendly gesture as he practically sighed, "Oh, Roxy, you're growing up… Just yesterday we were mere kids laughing and chasing each other in a playground, but now here you are, a young woman in love. How did that happen?"

"You… You aren't mad… that I'm in love with Megamind?" Roxanne stammered in surprise. She'd expected him to be more upset…

Metro Man drew his hands back, clearing his throat as he shrugged awkwardly. "I have my concerns, Roxy, but I see the way he looks at you. That man would _die_ for you… And I trust you to make the right decisions. You were right… It's not my place to make those choices for you. If you want to love Megamind, I'll support you. Just… be careful. That's all I ask."

"Of course I will," Roxanne assured him, her smile warming as she relaxed.

"Now," Metro Man suggested as he turned to start leading her away, "What do you say we go get some root beer floats? My treat!"

Roxanne giggled, smiling in relief as she realized her friendship with the super-powered teenager hadn't been damaged at all, not even in the slightest. He paused and waited for her, and she nodded, taking his arm in hers as she agreed, "That sounds great, Metro Man. I think I could use an afternoon with a good friend." His smile warmed, more genuine than usual, and just for a moment she rested her head against his burly arm to let him know she held no grudge against him. The action did wonders to cheer him up, and in one fell swoop, he swept her into his arms and laughing, took to the sky to fly her to his favorite ice cream shop.

* * *

><p>Roxanne laughed as she sat across from Metro Man in a booth at the local Mr. Frosty, both of them sipping and poking at their root beer floats as they told each other jokes and thoroughly enjoyed each other's company. After a while, Roxanne smiled at him as he flashed her that charming smile she'd come to expect and admitted, "You know, this is nice… I've been missing lazy afternoons like this, just hanging out with you. I thought for sure you hated me for falling for Megamind…"<p>

Metro Man firmly shook his head, reaching across the table to rest a hand overtop hers as he assured her, "I could _never_ hate you, Roxy." Drawing back his hand before the moment could grow awkward, he admitted softly, "I was worried for you, but you had a right to tell me to back off. I'm sorry I tried to interfere… I just didn't want to see you hurt, but it's not my place to choose your friends, or your lovers, for you. That's your business, and I had no right to try to get in the way."

"I'm glad you've come to see that," Roxanne smiled at him. "I'd hate to lose you as a friend just because I'm dating your enemy."

Metro Man chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm more worried about how Megamind feels about you hanging out with me… Does he know we're still friends?"

"He knows… He doesn't approve, but he knows," Roxanne informed him, then blinked as her cell phone rang. Picking it up, she answered, "Hello?"

Metro Man watched in silence as she spoke to the person on the other end of the line, then sighed as she ended the call and put her phone away. He said nothing, letting her explain. "That was the warden…" she sighed in disappointment. "Megamind was right… He cancelled his privileges… He won't let me take him out again until next weekend…"

"I'm sorry, Roxy," Metro Man sympathized, his blue eyes gentle.

Roxanne shrugged away the concern with a wave of her hand. "He warned me this would happen… I just hate the thought of him being stuck in that awful jail cell all weekend, alone… I know he's lived his whole life that way, but that doesn't make it any less sad. He'll be so lonely, and I can't even go visit him…"

"I'm sorry," Metro Man sympathized again, the only thing he could think of to say in the situation.

"It's all right," Roxanne insisted, taking a sip of her root beer float. "I'll see him in school at least. I'll just have to make the best of my time with him there."

"Well, if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, you know where to turn," Metro Man smiled at her warmly, and Roxanne brightened instantly.

"Well, those are some awfully big shoulders to cry on, should I use them," Roxanne giggled softly, teasing the brawny teenager.

Metro Man merely flashed her his most charming grin, stretching his muscular arms out as he insisted, "All the better to beat away your fears!"

Roxanne laughed, a genuine sound that pleased even her own ears as Metro Man smiled at her. It felt good to relax around him again, to not have to see him as someone trying to pull her away from the man she loved. "Thank you, Metro Man. I'm glad to have you as a friend."

"It's my pleasure, Roxy," Metro Man smiled, then sipped at his root beer float as she did the same.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I've never actually participated in a talent show before, but I did my best with it. If something's "off," please forgive me. In my story, at least, it works. XD That said, there are no warnings for this chapter! I hope you guys like it! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

* * *

><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 16**

* * *

><p>Trees were no longer a favorite haunt for Megamind during lunch.<p>

Realizing every bully in school had figured out that trick, Megamind was forced to resort to other methods to keep his whereabouts hidden from the jocks that wanted to beat him and interrupt his time with Roxanne. Most afternoons she spent with him in chemistry labs or the engine shop, trying to keep him from playing with the chemicals or tinkering with some new contraption he would create on the spot. It was difficult at times to distract him when his brilliant mind took over and drove him to work on one thing or another, and it never failed to amaze her just how brilliant he really was. In the span of just one hour, he would awe her with his skills, impressing her with his genius until she could resist him no longer and finally just pulled him away from whatever he was working on to steal a tender kiss from his lips. Inevitably, he would melt into her arms, all thought of his projects just fading from his mind as he savored their kiss, a moan escaping his lips as she held him to her tight. He was putty in her hands, and Roxanne loved it. She only wished she didn't have to hide from everyone else in order to enjoy his warm embrace…

Roxanne had been trying to change the school's perspective of her dashingly handsome blue boyfriend by running anti-bullying and racial equality articles in the school's paper, but they had been meeting with very little success. Her articles now were mostly overlooked when they had once been the talk of the school, her reputation as a Megamind supporter suddenly tarnishing her name and branding her views and articles as tainted propaganda put forth by the local self-proclaimed villain. There was only one person in school she knew read them, and that, of course, was Megamind himself. The charismatic blue teenager was often moved almost to tears by them and by the fact she was actually sticking up for him, sometimes having no words to say to her after reading what she'd written. His embrace said it all for him. Roxanne's heart ached at the knowledge of how much pain he carried within his aching heart, how such a simple thing as someone standing up and refusing to follow the popular opinion of him could touch him so deeply. She hoped his performance in the school talent show would garner the support for him her articles never could.

Megamind never told her what he planned to do for the talent show, keeping it a surprise even from her. As the day drew closer, Roxanne found her curiosity growing as she wondered what he would do once he got on that stage… She only hoped it would go smoother than he feared.

* * *

><p>This was it. It was time. The Metro City High School's annual talent show was about to begin, and Roxanne waited anxiously for Megamind outside the entrance to the stage. She wanted to wish him luck, but he was nowhere to be found… He was supposed to be backstage already, preparing himself for his turn on stage. He was <em>supposed<em> to be here half an hour ago, but he still hadn't come. The halls were buzzing with parents and students not participating in the talent show as they made their way into the auditorium to take their seats, some lingering to chat, others hesitating to take advantage of just one last minute to stretch their legs before being glued to their seats for the next few hours. Most of the participating students had already gone backstage and were anxiously practicing their acts, hoping and praying they wouldn't make fools of themselves once they got up on the stage. Everyone was here… Except for Megamind. Roxanne was growing increasingly worried as she looked up and down the crowded hall, trying desperately to spot the only blue-skinned participant among them, but she didn't see him anywhere. Where on Earth could he be? He had assured her just that morning that the prison had no problem letting him attend the event and he would be there. Now that the hour had come, however, he was a no show. Had his nerves gotten the best of him after all? She doubted it… For all his anxiety, she couldn't see him as a coward, and she knew he wouldn't give the rest of the school further reason to mock him. He would be here… He had to be… But where was he?

Roxanne waited a few more minutes, then noticed everyone was being ushered into the auditorium. The show was about to start, and Megamind still hadn't arrived! A rock in her stomach, she considered trying to run out through the crowd to look for him, but paused as she suddenly remembered something… The watch he had given her was a communicator! Why hadn't she thought of it before? Quickly pressing the button on the side to activate it, she spoke into it in a tone of anxious desperation, "Megamind! Megamind, where _are_ you? The show's about to begin!"

Roxanne almost heaved a sigh of relief when Megamind's voice answered her back, "Don't worry, I'm here! It's all part of the plan; you'll see! Now go take your seat, Roxanne, before you miss the show, and don't let anyone see you use the watch! That's our little secret. Code: I love you!"

Roxanne giggled, a weight lifted off her shoulders as her heart warmed. "I love you too, Megamind. Good luck out there!"

Megamind's evil chuckle sounded through the watch as he insisted, "I don't need _luck_, Miss Ritchi, when I've got _talent_! Now, Code: Get to your seat!"

"Code: I'm on my way," Roxanne laughed, then hurried to her seat as he'd instructed, sitting down just as the lights dimmed for the first act of the night.

Some of the acts were difficult to sit through, but the audience was tougher. Mercilessly booing the poorer acts, they humiliated and shamed them until they ran off the stage, some of them in tears. Roxanne felt awful for those acts, having put themselves out there just to be so cruelly torn apart. She hoped the same would not be the case for Megamind. Other acts they applauded, the best even garnering whistles and cheers as the crowd showed their enthusiasm and support. She saw people singing, some juggling, others acting… Many played musical instruments, and still others showed up with unusual and unexpected talents she hadn't expected. One boy actually brought his dog and demonstrated the search and retrieve skills he'd been teaching it. And then, of course, there was Metro Man.

Metro Man's mere presence was an act in and of itself as he floated out onto the stage and blew kisses to his cheering fans. Always glad to soak up the attention, he totally milked the crowd before showing off his super-powers in a spectacular performance that had every member of the crowd, including Roxanne, standing on their feet in a standing ovation, screaming and cheering his name. He crushed bricks with his bare hands, carved names into boards with his laser vision, and awed them with aerial demonstrations of his flight capabilities as he zoomed overhead and performed cartwheels in the air. The crowd loved him, and he loved them, giving them everything they wanted and had come to expect. There was no denying Metro Man's performance was definitely a sight to see.

When his act was over, Metro Man waved to the crowd as he touched back down on the stage, soaking up the crowd's applause as he cast them all his most charming grin. The audience went _wild_. It took a few moments for them to begin to settle down, but as they did and Metro Man turned to take his leave from the stage, the lights suddenly went out. Almost as soon as the auditorium had darkened, other lights slowly took their place as a laugh that had become all too familiar to Roxanne pierced the air from all directions. As the lights remained dim for dramatic effect, laser-lights began to bounce around the room in a carefully orchestrated pattern, artificial fog pouring in to roll over everyone's feet as eerie sound effects began to fill the air. Metro Man was looking around in apparent alarm and uncertainty as at least a few dozen brainbots flew into the auditorium to take up positions around it, Megamind's voice carrying over the loudspeakers, taunting in its amusement and unwavering in its confidence, "Oh, you are amused now, but you have yet to be _impressed_! You see a few _tricks_ the _hero_ can do in his sleep, and oh, how you cheer! But _tricks_ can only do so much when _talent_ and _presentation_ are lacking! Step aside, _Metro Man_, and let _me_ show you how it's _really_ done!"

Metro Man floated up off the stage, backing away from it as the lights began to flicker, dimming even further as red and green lights began to glow in carefully selected positions around the stage, adding to the creepy atmosphere Megamind was obviously going for. As Roxanne looked around the stage in expectant curiosity with everyone else, two of the brainbots suddenly surged forward and grabbed her by the arms. She yelped in surprise as she was lifted from her seat into the air, the people around her gasping and some crying out in fright as she was quickly whisked away to be carefully dropped off in the center of the stage. The mechanical creatures bowged at her once, their red eyes quickly scanning over her to make sure she was unhurt, then flew back to take up their original positions. Roxanne's heart was pounding in her chest. Megamind hadn't told her what he was planning to do, had never mentioned she would have any part in his act. If she was supposed to actually _do_ anything, she had no idea _what_, and she knew she probably looked as anxious as she suddenly felt despite her attempts to hide her nerves. What was he _planning_? As the lights dimmed out to go completely black once more, she knew she was about to find out…

She was completely surprised.

When the lights dimmed back up, standing beside her was Megamind, geared up in a bright orange suit with black trim she couldn't help but recognize as the first few notes to Michael Jackson's "_Thriller_" began to play over the loudspeakers. He was grinning, his eyes excited as he nodded to her, a signal that read easily, "Just play along…" and she knew what her part was. All she had to do was stand there and pretend to be frightened, and he would do the rest.

Right on cue, he began to dance around her, singing the vocals himself rather than just mouthing the words. Megamind was an _astounding_ singer, a fact that had never occurred to Roxanne as she played along, smiling at him as he sang the first few refrains of the song, trying to scare her as though they had just come out of a movie theater after seeing a scary movie. She could hear a few giggles from the watching crowd, amused by his choice of music, but his grin suddenly twitched upwards, his eyes sparkling, and she knew instinctively the best was yet to come. He must have picked this song for a _reason_, but what that was, she didn't know.

She was just as unprepared for his big surprise as the audience was.

When the first refrains were over and Megamind stopped singing, everyone knew what came next for the song, but it was only one thin blue alien dancing on the stage, how could that be scary? Roxanne caught the smirk on Megamind's lips as the lights flashed out with a clap of thunder, and when they came back on, suddenly surrounding them and hobbling up every aisle in the auditorium were swarms of groaning, moaning zombies, grotesque in their appearance – and terrifyingly _real_. The entire audience gasped and cried out in shock, some even shrieking as the undead creatures stumbled past them on their way to the stage. Megamind was doing his best to appear terrified, keeping his back to hers as they were surrounded, but his eyes were laughing… This was going exactly as he'd planned, and even Roxanne's heart was racing as the zombies drew nearer, closing in on them from every direction. She had no idea how he'd created zombies, but there they were, eyeing her hungrily, their skin rotting, clothes tattered and decayed… These were not humans in costumes, these were something altogether different and far more authentic… For a split second, she wondered if he even had any control over them, but she felt him squeeze her hand really quick, reassuring her, and she tried desperately to relax.

Thunder sounded, and the lights went out again.

When they flashed back on, Megamind was standing further away from her, and suddenly he looked pale and pallid, almost skeletal, his lovely blue skin suddenly tinged a sickly green, his orange suit torn and ragged – and he was eyeing her with the same hunger as the swarm of zombies now gathered behind him like an army. Roxanne had to admit, he did look pretty frightening as he took a few steps towards her, every man, woman, and child in the audience on the edge of their seats, watching them with an intensity they hadn't even shown to Metro Man – a fact she knew would please him to no end.

And then he began to dance.

Roxanne had known Megamind was a good dancer, but even she hadn't known he was _this_ good. He was performing _all_ of Michael Jackson's moves with an expertise that had even the audience gasping in surprise, dancing with such an ease and grace he would have given even the song's original performer a run for his money. Roxanne doubted _anyone_ had been prepared to see just how well Megamind could dance, his hips pumping on cue, body moving with a skilled precision that could only come through years and years of discipline. Suddenly she knew what he probably did alone in that cell his whole life when he wasn't working on some invention or another… She almost blushed and tried not to bite her lip when he even grabbed himself the way Michael Jackson did, and she could hear a few women in the crowd giggling. Megamind's eyes were shining, and Roxanne suddenly felt excited and hopeful. He was impressing them, exactly as she knew he would…

The lights flickered again with another clap of thunder and Megamind's outfit switched back again, untatterred and flawless, his skin back to its usual healthy, handsome blue as he started singing and dancing to the final refrain. His voice never faltered, even as he performed Michael Jackson's signature spins and moves as though they were easy for him, even standing on the edges of his toes without even batting an eye. By the time the song was over, he was having a hard time trying to control his grin, forcing his features to grow serious again as the lights flickered once more, his appearance reverting to that of the zombie as the music entered its final notes. He advanced on Roxanne, trying to appear his most terrifying, his hoard of zombies following behind him, and Roxanne decided to play along. She ran from him, screaming, and pretended to trip and fall halfway across the stage. And then he was upon her, laughing in his most villainous voice as he leaned down to grab hold of her, his mouth opening as though to bite her…

And the lights went out.

Through the darkness, only Megamind's laugh could be heard resounding through the auditorium, but when it faded and the lights came back on to their original settings, he was gone, along with all of his brainbots and the zombie swarm. The only sign that remained to give any indication he'd ever even been there was the fog slowly dissipating into the air and a very impressed Roxanne half lying on the stage where he'd left her, vanishing into the darkness without a trace.

The crowd literally _erupted_ in an uproar of applause and cheers unlike anything Roxanne had ever before heard.

There wasn't a single man, woman, or child in the audience that didn't immediately leap to their feet to cheer for Megamind's performance, even Metro Man applauding from where he still hovered overhead, having watched the whole performance with an impressed eye. Roxanne was beaming. No one seemed to _care_ that what she was beginning to realize would be the night's most memorable performance was put on by the resident "bad boy;" all they cared about was how deeply he had impressed them.

And then she saw him… Megamind was peering out at the cheering crowd from behind the curtain off-stage in absolute shock.

Grinning excitedly, Roxanne caught his eye and gestured insistently for him to come back out onto the stage, applauding him herself. The grin he'd been holding back the whole time suddenly splitting his face, Megamind laughed and dashed out into the center of the stage, his arms open wide as he gestured for the crowd to grow even louder. They gave him what he wanted, cheering, whistling, screaming, and clapping as loudly as they could, and he milked every minute of it in absolute disbelief. Roxanne could see the shock in his eyes as he soaked up their approval like a man dying of thirst, bowing to the crowd and even rewarding them with a few more spins and dance moves as he smirked in Metro Man's direction. The soon-to-be hero merely smiled down at him, making it very clear that even _he_ was applauding him. Megamind's face was bright purple, but he was loving every minute of the attention. In the end, Roxanne had to drag him off the stage just to get him to stop milking it for all it was worth.

Megamind could not stop laughing, thoroughly exhilarated as Roxanne led him out to an empty hall to let him breathe and come down off what she was beginning to think of as an "attention high." He collapsed against the wall as soon as they were alone, his knees trembling as his nerves and shock became apparent. "I did it!" he cried in disbelief, his eyes wide and overly-excited as they locked on Roxanne's. His hands gripped her shoulders as though he was trying to convince himself he wasn't dreaming, the grin refusing to leave his face as he breathed heavily. "I did it! I actually got them to _cheer_ for _me_! I can't believe it!" He darted forward suddenly and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight as she felt him exhale into her hair, his heart beating so hard she could feel it through his clothing as he pressed against her. "I actually _did it_!"

"I knew you would!" Roxanne exclaimed, squeezing him tight as she planted a tender kiss on the exposed skin of his soft blue neck. He almost moaned at the gesture, his body trembling, and she could feel him squeeze her even tighter. "Megamind, you were _amazing_! I had _no idea_ you could dance like _that_! I knew you were good, but you could even give Michael Jackson himself a run for his money! That was _incredible_!"

"Yes, well, dancing is just _one_ of my many amazing talents," Megamind bragged, a cocky grin on his lips as he drew back from her embrace to look into her eyes. "I told you I'd impress you."

Roxanne giggled. "Well, you most certainly did! How on Earth did you create those zombies, Megamind? They were so _real_!" She simply _had_ to know…

Megamind merely smirked, his eyes growing secretive. "Oh, a villain never reveals his secrets, my dear Miss Ritchi… Not even to you!" He flicked her playfully on her nose and she laughed. "It's far more _fun_ to make you wonder at my genius!"

Roxanne shook her head at him, laughing at his playful smirk as she realized he was teasing her. "All right, Megamind, you can keep your secrets… For now. Now, do you think you can handle going back inside? Yours was the last act, and I'm sure the judges are about to announce the night's winners. I have no doubt you'll have won something!"

Megamind's eyes lit up. "There are _prizes_?" Roxanne giggled as she realized he honestly didn't know it was a contest, having simply focused all of his attention and creative energy on coming up with such a truly impressive performance and making certain it didn't somehow blow up in his face. He was excited again as he grabbed hold of her wrist, practically dragging her back inside as he urged her anxiously, "Well, come on! We can't miss _that_!"

* * *

><p>Roxanne was not at all surprised by the three finalists called up on stage, Metro Man and Megamind joining another student who'd actually managed to perform a rather impressive juggling act while balancing on a rolla-bolla. No one was shocked to find the juggler receiving third place as everyone held their breath for the announcement of the night's winner. Megamind and Metro Man were smirking at each other in what suddenly appeared to be good-natured rivalry, a drum roll sounding as the announcer tore open the envelope handed him by the judges. Roxanne bit her lip as she watched with everyone else as he pulled out the card revealing the name of the night's winner…<p>

Then watched in disappointment as Megamind's face fell when Metro Man was given first prize and he was offered second.

Megamind looked totally dumbfounded and outraged at the decision as it became obvious even the audience was divided over it. Half of them were applauding Metro Man, while the other half groaned and muttered in surprise, obviously under the belief that Megamind had _earned_ that first-place trophy. Even Metro Man looked surprised, casting an awkward glance towards Megamind before stepping forward to claim his prize. Roxanne shook her head, knowing without a doubt in her mind why the judges awarded the prize to Metro Man and not his rival. No matter how hard Megamind had tried or how well he had performed, no matter how much he may have impressed them with his dancing, singing, and technological genius (she was certain the zombies _must_ have had something to do with some sort of device), he was still the _bad guy_, the outcast, the _freak_… Her heart broke as Megamind frowned, his shoulders slumping as he slowly stepped forward to accept the second place trophy being given to him. She could see in his eyes he knew as well as she did why he hadn't won first place, and it hurt him… Oh, how her heart was aching for him as he forced a weak smile onto his lips and did his best to graciously accept his award before slinking off the stage, his broken heart plain in his vivid green eyes.

Roxanne hurried to catch up with Megamind as he headed out of the school building through a side door to avoid the crowd exiting through the main entrance. He looked totally dejected as she caught up with him, Minion hurrying to his side. "Sir! Sir, you did _great_!" the alien fish tried to smile at him cheerfully, but it was evident from his tone that even he could tell his master was hardly feeling as elated as he had been before the prizes had been announced.

"You really did!" Roxanne joined in, resting her hand on his thin shoulder. "You were incredible!"

"You know, just for _one_ moment in there, I thought that maybe just for _once_ I was going to be given a fair shot…" Megamind remarked, his voice cracking, green eyes downcast. He sighed heavily as Roxanne's heart broke, his shoulders slumping even further. "I don't know why I even bothered. What's the point? They gave it to _him_, and he didn't even _earn_ it…"

Roxanne was about to reply when a voice she hadn't expected said it for her. "You're right."

Megamind blinked and looked up, frowning as he saw Metro Man drifting down to land a few feet in front of him. Roxanne was stunned, but Megamind was not impressed. "What do you want, _hero_? Come to rub your victory in my face? I'll have you know _I_ earned that trophy! It should be _mine_!"

"You're right," Metro Man admitted again, and Megamind stared at him in shock. Metro Man looked totally embarrassed, taking a step towards Megamind as he held his trophy in his hands. For a moment he couldn't even look the shorter blue alien in the eye as Roxanne noticed a few of the exiting students had taken notice of their conversation and were now watching them in disbelief – even awe. When the brawny teenager could finally lift his gaze to meet his rival's, he insisted, "I don't deserve this. I went out on that stage tonight and did the same thing I always do… It's easy for me, and nothing they haven't seen before. I merely gave them what they wanted… But you… _You_ delivered a performance that was truly _impressive_." Megamind suddenly looked totally taken aback, stunned to hear such things from the man who had always been his greatest foe. He just stared at him in utter disbelief as Metro Man continued, "You put yourself out there tonight, Megamind. You gave them a show that must have been both physically and mentally exhausting. You actually _sang_ for them! I've _never_ had the guts to do that, not since all those years ago in grade school… You flaunted your genius, and you _earned_ first place, but they gave it to me on reputation alone..." Metro Man's gaze fell for a moment, then he admitted softly, "I didn't earn this. You did, and I want _you_ to have it."

Megamind's eyes went as wide as saucers as Metro Man held out his first place trophy to him, swaying on his feet as Roxanne had to cover her mouth in order to contain her overwhelming excitement. When school had first begun all those weeks ago, she had never dreamed such a scenario was even possible, but now here it was: Metro Man was actually admitting to being bested by Megamind, and graciously offering his blue rival the prize he actually deserved. Megamind looked as shocked as she was, the color completely draining from his face as Minion grinned from fin to fin beside him. The charismatic blue teenager was always prepared to be labeled the bad guy, but faced with his rival complimenting him on a job well done, he had no idea how to react… He looked about to faint. "B… But…" he finally began to stammer when he managed to find his voice, students slowly creeping in closer unknown to him. "I… I can't… I mean… They gave that to _you_… Why are you doing this?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously suddenly as he tried to recover himself. "What's your angle?"

Metro Man shook his head, continuing to hold the trophy out to him. "No angle. It's justice," he insisted, smiling gently. Roxanne was going to have to hug him for this... "You earned this. I didn't. It's as simple as that."

Megamind stared at him hard for a moment, obviously uncertain whether to trust his actions or not, then turned a questioning gaze to Roxanne. His eyes asked the questions for him, and Roxanne merely nodded, encouraging him to take the trophy from the hero-to-be. His eyes slowly moving back to meet Metro Man's, he finally reached out and took the first place trophy from his large hand, then insisted as he pressed the second place trophy into it in return, "Fine, but you're taking second place. You did at least earn _that_."

"Deal," Metro Man agreed, and suddenly a cheer arose around them as many of the watching students and their families applauded the exchange, Megamind jumping in surprise, never having noticed them until now. Metro Man chuckled at him, then winked as he insisted, "Take care of Roxy on your date with her tomorrow, Megamind. I'm trusting you to make her feel as special as she really is." As Megamind muttered something to the effect of, "Of course I will…" under his breath, Metro Man kicked off the ground to take to the skies, Roxanne squealing in delight as she pounced on Megamind to hug him tight. She would have to let Metro Man know how much she appreciated his gesture later.

* * *

><p>Megamind's spirits lifted considerably after Metro Man gave up his trophy to him. He was grinning from ear to ear as the prison bus arrived to pick him and Minion up, and he didn't want to leave. Roxanne almost had to push him to get him to go, giggling as it became obvious he was way too over stimulated to settle down. He kept trying to find excuses for why he couldn't get on the bus, but finally took his seat before the guards could take out their tazers. Pressing his blue face up against the glass of the window to stare out at her, he tried to shout through the glass that he loved her and couldn't wait to see her the next day. Roxanne went home that night feeling lighter than air.<p>

* * *

><p>Roxanne could hardly stop grinning to herself as she lied down on her bed that night. The evening had gone so much better than she could have ever anticipated. Megamind had not only taken the talent show by storm, but whether they would admit it or not, he'd managed to impress everyone far more than she could have hoped for. They had <em>cheered<em> for him, for _Megamind_, and the handsome blue alien – _her_ handsome blue alien – had finally gotten his first taste of human approval outside of her arms. Even better yet, he had earned it through his own talents and genius, without the need to resort to villainy, a fact which had shocked him to his core. For the first time in his life, Roxanne knew, Megamind had been rewarded for his efforts rather than being punished for them, had tasted positive reinforcement rather than criticism and rejection – and he had _liked_ it. She could see it in his vivid green eyes that night, the desperate craving for acceptance and the yearning to just be "normal" he tried so desperately to hide behind the bad boy persona he fostered so carefully had risen to the surface, almost swallowing him whole as she could see the questions burning within them. He had begun to question his career choice, begun to wonder whether he _really_ had to be the villain at all… Maybe he _could_ be normal after all – or at least close to it. Maybe he could earn the acceptance of the humans that oppressed and abused him rather than trying to rule them… Though he never voiced any of the thoughts that crossed his enormous mind, Roxanne could read them plain as day within his expressive eyes, eyes that screamed to her of a desire to just be accepted and to live without fear of rejection and abuse. She could not have been prouder of him.

And then there was Metro Man. Oh, how he had _shocked_ her! She had known he'd backed off of Megamind considerably, but never in a million years had she imagined he would do something so incredibly _selfless_ as to admit defeat to his supposed _enemy_ and hand his trophy over to him! It had definitely been the noble thing to do, the _right_ thing to do, but only a few weeks ago he never would have done it. Not for _Megamind_. Tonight, though, he'd done the unthinkable – and in front of _everyone_. By Monday the whole school would know that he'd personally handed off his trophy to his big-headed blue rival, taking second place instead. Whether he caught any flak for that or not, he didn't seem to care, and Roxanne could not have been prouder of him. He had _grown_ since the night she had confronted him in his music room, matured considerably. The next time she saw him, Roxanne swore she was going to give him the biggest hug he'd ever had in his life – even if her arms couldn't fully reach around his statuesque body.

Roxanne sighed contentedly as she shut her eyes, the smile never fading from her lips. The night had been full of pleasant surprises, and the following day promised to be no less eventful as she _finally_ got to take Megamind out of the prison to go on another date. She simply couldn't _wait_ until then.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: This one was originally the first part of a much longer chapter, but after the chapter 14 having to be split into two fiasco over on LJ, I've come to realize that somewhere around 16 pages LJ decides the chapter's too long and won't let me post it... I didn't break chapter 14 up on here, but I like to keep the chapters the same both here and on LJ, so this chapter has been broken down into two chapters. Sorry! ^_^; In any case, this chapter's rated PG for a few minor suggestive themes, but nothing big. I hope you guys like it! Enjoy! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

* * *

><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 17**

* * *

><p>Roxanne practically sped to the Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted, eager to pick up her brilliant blue boyfriend and spend some time with him. She was not at all surprised to find him eagerly waiting just outside the gate, practically bouncing on his toes in excitement as she pulled up to the curb. "<em>Ollo<em>, Roxanne!" he greeted her cheerfully as he eagerly threw open the door to her car and leapt into the passenger's seat.

Roxanne giggled, amused by his mispronunciation, but she greeted him back warmly, "Hello, Megamind! It's so good to see you today!" Not seeing his faithful fish anywhere around, she asked him simply, "Where's Minion? Isn't he coming?"

Megamind shook his enormous blue head, informing her matter-of-factly, "No, he's staying behind to give us our privacy." He smirked, casting her a rather seductive look as he wiggled his eyebrows. "We have a right to a little time _alone_, don't you think?"

Roxanne chuckled, trying not to let her grin grow too large as she caught the suggestion in his tone. "I'd say that's an understatement," she agreed, her tone soft and sultry. Megamind bit his lower lip, his grin widening, and it was all she could do not to pounce on him right then and there to smother him in kisses.

"So what did you want to do today?" Megamind asked her eagerly. "Where do you want to go?"

Roxanne thought a moment, then giggled as she pointed out, "Well, I'm sure the first thing _you're_ going to want to do is change, right? Surely you don't want to spend all day in that awful orange jumpsuit…"

Megamind laughed, shaking his head. "Oh, good Heavens, no! This thing itches! Not exactly _comfortable_, let alone _me_…" He paused for a moment, his eyes growing slightly shy, then suggested gently, "Did… Did you want to go to the Lair? We can watch movies and I can change there…"

Roxanne smiled warmly at him, agreeing happily, "You know, Megamind, a nice cozy night in with you watching movies sounds much better right now than any public outing I can think of. I'd like that." The blue alien's smile warmed noticeably before she asked gently, "Does this mean I need to let you drive and be blindfolded?"

To her surprise, Megamind shook his sizable head and insisted, "No. Not this time. I trust you, Roxanne. I want… I want you to know how to find me."

Roxanne's heart melted as her smile warmed. Only two weeks ago he was still unsure about whether he could let her know the location of the Lair, his insecurities and instinctual need to protect his closest secrets too great to take such a huge personal risk. Now here he was, willing to risk everything just to let her in, to let her know even his most closely guarded secrets, and it warmed her heart to know he'd come to accept the fact he could trust her with them, trust her not to betray him. That was a _huge_ step forward for him. Placing her hand on his, she squeezed it gently. "Thank you, Megamind. I won't betray your trust. Now… Where should I go?"

Megamind smiled and gestured out the window. "South. Towards the bay."

* * *

><p>Roxanne had only been slightly surprised to find the Evil Lair nestled in the center of an old abandoned manufacturing district, the buildings here long since left behind for bigger and better ones elsewhere in the city. It made sense that Megamind would want his hideout to be somewhere hidden where few people (if any) would ever go, and here there was very little chance of discovery. Even the entrance to the Lair was secret, hidden behind a holographic wall that masked it as simply another graphitied brick face on the massive abandoned factory, although Roxanne couldn't help but giggle at the artificially spray painted message scrawled across it that read simply, "Go Away! No one lives here!" He was just too cute in his innocence to be truly evil. It just wasn't possible.<p>

Once inside the Lair, Megamind wasted no time in changing out of his prison uniform and into his spandex suit and boots. He left off the gloves and cape for her sake, a courtesy she was grateful for as it would make snuggling with him that much easier without the spikes to get in the way, or that high-necked leather collar that shielded his sensitive neck from her eager attentions. She could tell from the sparkle in his eye he'd been thinking just that, and allowing her eyes to slip appreciatively down over his thin form, she complimented him warmly, "You really do look very good in spandex, Megamind. It suits you."

Megamind chuckled mischievously, smirking at her through a cocky grin, "Well, _I_ thought so." Roxanne giggled, then he turned to lead her through the Lair. "Come on. We'll make some of this _pop-ed_ corn and get comfortable. I think I've finally worked out the settings for the lasers…"

Roxanne laughed, but darted forward to grab onto his shoulder as she insisted, "Why don't you let _me_ make the popcorn, hmmm? I'd rather not spend our day together running from an explosion…"

Megamind chuckled, then admitted, "Yeah… That probably would be safer." They laughed together, then headed into the kitchen as Roxanne set out to make the popcorn without the use of lasers or any kind of ultra-high-powered technology.

* * *

><p>Megamind watched her with wide, awed eyes as she popped the corn on the stove, and Roxanne tried not to giggle at his innocence. He was just so adorable, even when he wasn't trying to be. "That's <em>it<em>?" he gasped as soon as she had finished making the popcorn, transferring it into a bowl and adding a little butter and salt. "That's all there is to it? You're kidding me!"

Roxanne giggled. She couldn't help it. "It's not rocket science, Megamind. It's just popcorn," she teased, pressing one of the fluffy white kernels past his soft blue lips and into his mouth. "See?"

"Mmmmm…" Megamind practically purred, almost melting at the taste. "No wonder you humans like this stuff! This is actually rather yummy…"

He tried to reach out to grab a handful and she laughed, pulling the bowl just out of his reach as he pouted at her. "Nah ah! This is for the _movie_," she scolded him teasingly and watched as a playful smirk replaced the frown on his lips.

"Oh, Miss Ritchi… You foul temptress you… Teasing me with treats and then pulling them away… I may have to _punish_ you for this…" Megamind purred, his voice low and sultry, and Roxanne could feel a shiver of desire run down her spine. This would be a fun day indeed… His eyes lit up and he laughed as he suddenly turned and headed out of the kitchen, signaling for her to follow him. "Well, if we must watch a movie to enjoy this _pop-ed_ corn, then let us pick a movie!" he insisted, practically dancing over to his movie collection as he led her into the entertainment center of the Lair. His eyes scanned over the vast array of DVDs and Blu-Ray discs he had amassed as he asked, "What are you in the mood for, Roxanne? Comedy? Drama? _Thriller_?" He cast her a suggestive smirk at the last one, his eyebrows wiggling up and down, and Roxanne giggled as she recalled his performance the night before.

"I think the only _thriller_ I would want to watch right now is the one you did last night," Roxanne admitted, slipping up beside him to look over the DVDs herself.

Megamind chuckled and grinned at her mischievously. "I could make that happen…"

Roxanne looked at him in surprise, her eyes suddenly hopeful and excited. "You _recorded it_?"

Megamind laughed as though the answer were obvious. "But of course! My brainbots recorded _everything_! I was going to compile the different angles together to make a truly impressive video and surprise you, but we can watch the footage now if you like…"

Roxanne could not stop the grin from splitting her face. "Oh, my gosh! Megamind, that would be _great_! We don't have to watch it now, but I would _love_ to have the video of it when you're done with it! That was such a truly _incredible_ performance, and I'd love to have it to watch any time I want! I know my parents were impressed… They could _not_ stop talking about it when we got home!"

Megamind chuckled, his cheeks flushing softly. "Well, at least they don't hate me, so that's a good thing. I'll give you the video on Monday then. Is that all right? That'll give Minion all of tomorrow to compile it."

"That would be great, Megamind," Roxanne smiled at him, reaching out with her free hand to take his in hers. He smiled at her warmly and after a few moments of simply gazing into his eyes, she turned her attention back to the DVDs and Blu-Ray discs before her. She snickered as she spotted the Saw movies and raised an eyebrow at him. "Did you _really_ want to watch a _thriller_? I'm sorry, Megamind, but I just never thought of you as the horror and gore type…"

Megamind forced a look of offense to his face as he blustered, "What are you talking about? I'm a villain! I have an iron stomach! I watch horror movies all the time! I love the blood, and gore, and… People getting torn ap…" He visibly blanched, then chuckled as he realized he couldn't keep up the act, Roxanne staring at him with an I-don't-buy-it look on her face. "Uh, OK, you got me… I, uh… don't actually like horror films at all. They make me feel kind of ill…" He laughed and shrugged, scratching at the back of his considerably large bald head. "Minion's actually the horror fan, if you'd believe it. He loves them. I don't know why… I usually, ah…" He blushed and admitted softly, "End up running from the room…"

Roxanne giggled, her eyes shining. She had known he was no fan of thrillers. It just didn't fit with his personality. "So if I were to put in, say, one of these Resident Evil films here, _I_ would be the one shielding _you_ from the gore?"

Megamind's eyes grew shy as even his ears turned purple. "Er… More like hiding me from it…" He chuckled nervously as Roxanne appeared amused. "Some villain, huh?"

Roxanne laughed, shaking her head at him. "Yeah, some villain." She leaned in and planted a soft kiss on his forehead, then remarked, "You are just so cute! I would _love_ to watch a scary movie with you some night and hold you tight as you tremble, but don't worry, I won't make you watch one now." He heaved a heavy sigh of relief, and she laughed. "I have to know, though, Megamind… If you hate horror stories so much, why on Earth did you choose to perform _Thriller_ last night? I'd have thought that if you were going to do a Michael Jackson song, you'd have picked _Bad_ or something more like that…"

"Well, actually, I wanted to do _Bad_ at first," Megamind admitted with a guilty shrug, "But then I remembered you said you wanted to downplay the whole _bad boy_ thing… And I got to thinking about what might actually impress people. I picked _Thriller_ because I wanted to do something _impressive_, and what could be more impressive than a hoard of dancing zombies? I think I made the right choice."

"Oh, you most certainly did!" Roxanne nodded enthusiastically. "You impressed them all, Megamind! And you did it _without_ having to resort to villainy. How does that make you feel?"

Megamind couldn't even try to hide the elation that flooded his face at the fact, his eyes lighting up as a grin split his face. It was a beautiful sight to see, and he practically sighed his response in delight, "I can't even put it into words, Roxanne… I never thought such a thing could even be _possible_… Not for _me_. It felt… It felt _good_."

Roxanne could feel her heart melting as she smiled at him in deeply felt pride. She could see in his eyes he was seriously beginning to question his decision to be a supervillain at all, and it warmed her heart to know he was finally beginning to see that there might be another path available to him after all. "I'm glad," she assured him warmly, honestly as he smiled at her with such genuine affection in his eyes she would have pulled him into her arms if she wasn't still holding onto the popcorn bowl. "You _need_ more positive experiences in your life, and I'm glad you could finally have one."

"It wasn't my first," Megamind insisted, his eyes soft as they locked on hers, his cheeks blushing a soft hue of purple. "I also have _you_."

Roxanne totally melted, her entire body softening as she smiled at him so warmly she could see his own smile growing in response, basking in her warmth as she gazed at him. She couldn't speak, but words weren't necessary. Leaning forward, she brought her lips to his to steal a tender, lingering kiss, her heart skipping a beat as he moaned at her taste. The kiss said it all for her. When she reluctantly pulled back from it, his eyes were as gentle and warm as she'd ever seen them, locked on hers and unwavering in their intense adoration for her, and she had to force her eyes to pull away from them before she completely lost control, threw the popcorn bowl to the ground, and just pounced on him where he stood. "So, uh… Let's pick a movie, shall we?" she tried to redirect his attention and giggled when he shot her a look that said he knew very well what she was trying to get out of. Adopting her most innocent smile, she baited him coyly, "The sooner we decide, the sooner we can get all cozy on the couch together…"

"Ah! Decided!" Megamind grinned, reaching out and plucking a movie from his library and heading over to put it into his Blu-Ray player. Roxanne made herself comfortable on his couch and tried not to giggle when he came running over to her, a huge grin on his lips as he gestured for her to scooch over a bit so he could sit beside her. He cuddled in close as soon as he got settled, his arm wrapping around her shoulder as he greedily grabbed a handful of popcorn to pop into his mouth, the opening to "Stardust" beginning to play on his large flat-screen HD TV.

"Nice choice," Roxanne complimented him on his selection and he grinned at her. "I've seen this movie before. It's very sweet."

"It is," Megamind agreed, and Roxanne smiled as she felt his body shift in just a little closer to hers as they settled in to watch the movie.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: **_WARNING: This chapter/fic is rated M/NC-17 for nudity, male/alien genitalia, female genitalia, graphic sexual content, and adult themes. This is NSFW, and definitely NOT for kids! Please don't read if this sort of thing offends you._** That said, I only have one more thing to note: The name I picked for Megamind was first suggested to me by MiaVaan over on LJ who had it suggested to her by nineteennintytwo over here. I then went out and researched a ton of names on multiple sites, and this one kept coming up. It was just absolutely _perfect_ for Megamind! It's a Native American name (though in my fic obviously not), and yes - it means exactly what Roxanne assumes it does! :D This is going to be Megamind's real name in all my fics, I think. Anyway, on to the chapter! I really hope you guys like this one! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 18**

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><p>Midway through the film, the popcorn finished and the bowl discarded, cast aside to keep it out of the way, Roxanne had been delighted to discover that Megamind was a cuddler. His arms wrapped around her, he held her to him close as he pressed his thin body up against hers, nuzzling his face and cheek into her hair. Most men didn't do the cuddling, making her cuddle them; but not Megamind. He was more than happy to snuggle into her, making happy little noises every time he tried to get even closer, as though it was simply never enough. Her heart soared every time that happy little hum would sound from his lips, and she did her best to snuggle him right back. She'd never felt so close to anyone before in her life…<p>

Roxanne was trying to pay attention to the movie, but she was finding that harder and harder to do the longer she spent in his arms, her eyes constantly drifting away from the television to admire him instead. His thin arms were draped around her like a protective blanket, his body warm as it rested up against hers. She could tell he was having a hard time paying attention to the movie himself; every so often she could feel his chin shift, his nose burying itself into her hair as he breathed deeply of her scent, and he'd hum in delight every time, sighing to himself as he held her. His closeness was distracting, his scent like a drug she couldn't get enough of, and she kept finding her own nose drifting towards his neck as she rested her head on his shoulder. He shifted his hips beneath her and she glanced down to see the spandex around his groin doing a poor job of concealing the semi-hard erection growing beneath. She bit her lower lip hard to keep from grinning, trying very hard to resist the urge to reach down and touch it… Forcing her gaze away from his crotch, she allowed the hand that was resting on his chest to move in a slow, affectionate circle. He sighed and hummed again, and she glanced up to see his eyes closing as she felt his body relaxing under her caress. Roxanne smiled softly to herself. She loved how she could do this to him, how she could make him melt by a simple touch… She doubted she would ever get enough of his sighs, knowing that she had caused them.

Her eyes slipped from where his remained closed to linger longingly on his moist blue lips for what must have been the hundredth time already since the movie had begun. They twitched upwards, his smile growing, and as her eyes snapped up to meet his and saw he was watching her every move, she knew she had been caught. Blushing softly, she froze, staring into his eyes, but he didn't say a word. Instead, he leaned forward, and closing his eyes, pressed his lips to hers with a sigh of absolute delight. This time, _she_ was the one who melted into _him_…

Roxanne's arms circled around him as he kissed her, holding him tight as she shifted her body to face his, feeling him do the same. His kiss was gentle, but full of longing… She could taste his love for her in every massage of his lips against hers, feel it in the press of his blue hands on her back. She felt his tongue pressing insistently between her lips and gladly parted them for him, letting him in with a moan of delight. It had been far too long since she had tasted him like this, far too long since she had last felt his passion. When a soft moan sounded deep in his throat, his arms pulling her in closer as he lay back on the couch, she made no move to protest, gladly shifting her body atop his to position his hips between her legs. Pressing her lower body down against the hardness stiffening beneath his suit, he gasped and pulled back in surprise, "Oh, Roxanne! You're moving quickly tonight!"

Roxanne giggled mischievously, nibbling at his lower lip for just a moment before moving her attentions to his earlobe. He gasped, his face flushing a deep shade of fuchsia as his body jerked upwards in response, his eyes wide as he breathed hard. She _loved_ his ears, _loved_ how they seemed to act as a direct link to stimulate his sex drive… She grinned to herself as she felt him stiffening even more between her legs, pressing down against him a bit more as he released a moan of absolute desire. "I don't want to move slowly, Megamind…" she whispered seductively into his ear. "You're teasing me… Holding me close… I can't take it anymore. I want you… I need you..."

"Oh, God…" Megamind breathed, his head leaning back as his back arched beneath her while she trailed her tongue around the shell of his ear before teasing him inside it. His grip on her hips tightened and she could feel his hips flex beneath her, resisting the urge to grind up into her. "R-Roxanne… Th-This isn't fair! Aaah!" She was nibbling on his earlobe again, giggling wickedly as he squirmed beneath her, grunting as his whole body tingled with desire. "S-St-Stop! Stop!" he pleaded desperately. "I… I'll lose… lose control! R-Roxanne!"

"That's the point…" Roxanne purred into his ear, then shifted sides to work on his other ear instead. He cried out, his leg kicking out as his hips bucked up against her once and she grinned. "Your ears sure are _sensitive_… I wonder what will happen if I keep playing with them?"

"_Temptress_!" Megamind hissed, but he moaned beneath her, trying to maintain control. Roxanne was determined to make him lose it. Feeling his stiff member throbbing beneath her through his spandex, she grinded her hips against it in a rhythm that had him crying her name in no time, "Roxanne!"

Roxanne slid her hands up and down his long neck, dragging her fingertips over his Adam's apple and feeling it bob with every heavy breath he took and every moan she pulled from his lips as hers relentlessly worked on his ear. "You teased me last night, Megamind…" she whispered into his ear, blowing into it and thrilling as she felt his body shiver. "Watching you pump your hips like that in the dance… Such a tease… I want to feel those hips move like that against me…" He moaned loudly, whispering her name, and as his grip on her hips tightened, he began to thrust his own hips up against hers, grinding into her as his control began to break down. "Yes… There, that's it… Was that so hard? If I didn't know any better, I'd think you didn't want me…"

"No, I want you…" Megamind gasped, licking his lips as he pressed his body against hers, savoring the friction that was only making his need for her worse. "I want you more than you could know… Unnnh! Roxanne! Please! Y-You're moving so fast! I thought we'd go slow and work into this…"

"You don't like it?"

Megamind chuckled, admitting mischievously, "Oh, I _like_ it… But I don't want you to think I only brought you here to mate. I want to be with _you_."

Roxanne's heart soared as she finally let her lips leave his ear to move instead to his lips. "I know," she assured him between kisses. His kiss had grown hungry, needy, his breath hot as she bit his lower lip and savored the growl that sounded in his throat in response. "And we're together. I want this, Megamind. I want _you_. I want everything about you, from your touch…" She let her hands run down his slim chest. "To your kiss…" She drank from his lips like a woman dying of thirst, sucking on his tongue until he moaned deeply. "To your alien sex…" She let her hands drift down to cup his stiff erection through his suit, squeezing his balls gently until he moaned loudly in his intense need. "I need you, Megamind… I want you. Is that so much to ask?"

Megamind shook his head, smiling at her seductively. "No. You can have me any time you want, Roxanne… As long as you don't get the idea that _all_ I want to do is mate with you… I love you, Roxanne. You're my mate. I'd be happy just cuddling with you if that's all you wanted."

"I know," Roxanne smiled, stroking him through his spandex suit as he thrust his hips into her hand. He groaned and she plucked at the stretchy fabric covering his body, asking seductively, "So… Can I take this off you then?"

Megamind chuckled. "Oh, we are eager, aren't we?" he teased her, but his eyes were smirking, and he nodded. "Yes, Roxanne. I will strip myself bare and mate with you as many times as you want me to… But first, I want you to know my name."

Roxanne blinked, pausing to look him in his eye. "Your name? You mean your _real_ name?"

Megamind nodded. "Yes. My parents didn't exactly name me Megamind… That was just the name I chose for myself. Do you want to hear it?"

Roxanne nodded, smiling at him warmly. "Yes, Megamind. I would love to hear it."

Megamind blushed softly, then whispered his name to her, "Arcani."

"_Arcani_…" Roxanne repeated the name in breathless awe. "It's beautiful… What does it mean?"

Megamind shook his head sadly. "I don't know…" he admitted slowly. "I remember my species' native language, but I never learned the meaning of my name… I think my father was trying to tell it to me as I was blasting off from the planet, but he got cut off when the door to my pod sealed shut. All I got were the words, 'Destined for… _something_,' but the last word was lost, so I don't know. I'm sorry… But that was the name my parents gave me. Arcani."

Roxanne smiled at him warmly as she suggested, "I'll bet you anything it means, 'Destined for _greatness_.'"

Megamind blinked. "You think so?" He tried to think hard back to the image of his father. "I was never able to figure it out… Destined for… What? Evil? Villainy? Destruction? Exile?" He shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Hmmm… Greatness…" He smiled softly at the concept, warming to the idea. "Do you really think it could have meant that?"

Roxanne nodded, kissing him affectionately between his eyes. "Honey, I don't think it could have meant anything _else_. Your parents obviously loved you. Of all your people, they saved _you_. All their hopes must have gone with you. You were destined for greatness from the moment you were born. It only makes sense they'd name you something that epitomized that hope."

The smile on Megamind's lips grew as his eyes grew watery. "Do you really think so?" he practically whispered, obviously overwhelmed with emotion. "I don't want to disappoint them… D-Do you… Do you think they're proud of me?" He looked nervous all of a sudden. "I… I want to be _great_… I want to make them proud…"

Roxanne smiled and assured him warmly, "I'm sure your parents are smiling down on you from Heaven even as we speak. You won't disappoint them, especially if you apply your considerable talents to a field _other_ than villainy."

Megamind chuckled softly. "You're not going to give that up, are you?"

Roxanne shook her head and grinned. "Nope!"

Megamind laughed. "I'll consider other options, all right? Let's just see how everyone reacts to me now that I've given them a taste of what I can do…"

Roxanne nodded. "Sounds fair."

Megamind fidgeted for a moment, his cheeks flushing slightly as his eyes grew shy, then asked gently, "Roxanne… Can I tell you a secret? S-Something I haven't even told Minion?"

Roxanne nodded and leaned in a little closer. "Of course."

Megamind bit his lower lip for a moment, then admitted for what she was certain was the first time in _years_, "I… I don't really _want_ to be the bad guy… I just want to be normal, like everyone else…" He looked away suddenly, embarrassed. "I guess that's kind of silly, huh?"

Roxanne could not stop beaming at him in pride. "No. No, Megamind, it's not silly at all." His eyes met hers again and he smiled softly as her eyes shined. "I knew you weren't really bad. You are so much better than that. Don't let the others pigeonhole you into becoming something you don't want to be. I love who you _are_ even more."

"Thank you…" Megamind barely breathed, his tone full of awe.

Roxanne leaned in and kissed him on his nose, asking gently, "So should I call you Arcani now, then? Or Megamind?"

"You can call me whatever you want, Roxanne," Megamind smiled at her warmly. "Only you and Minion know my real name. Even the warden doesn't know it, and I'll never tell him. But if you want to call me Arcani, by all means do. I'll let you choose what you want to call me."

"What name did the warden and the prisoners give you?" Roxanne asked curiously.

Megamind screwed up his face in disgust as he groaned the word out, "_Bubsy_…" Roxanne tried not to laugh, but failed miserably and he shouted indignantly, "Hey! It's not like I got to pick it myself!" She tried to stifle her laughter and he pouted. "Lousy brainless thugs… No imagination… I mean, _Bubsy_? Really? What am I, a _dog_?" He shook his sizeable head and groaned. "Believe me, the minute my palette was formed enough to start talking, I picked my own name and made them start using it! I've been Megamind ever since."

Roxanne finally regained control over her laughter and apologized amusedly, "I'm sorry, Arcani… I just felt bad for you."

A smile reappeared on Megamind's lips as he breathed in awe, "You called me Arcani… Say it again…"

"Arcani…" Roxanne breathed the word against his lips, dipping in to taste his kiss once again.

"Again…" Megamind pleaded, obviously thrilled by the sound of it.

"Arcani…" Roxanne purred it against his neck as she brought her lips to press against his sensitive skin.

Megamind sighed in delight, then asked again, "Just one more time…"

Roxanne smiled and brought her lips to his ear, kissing it softly before whispering his name, "Arcani…" He moaned softly, his emotions overwhelming him, and finally he gave in to both his and her desires as he brought his lips to her throat, his hands caressing her body eagerly as he kissed her everywhere his lips could fall. Guiding her hand to the zipper on the back of his suit, he arched his back for her as she slowly pulled it down, unzipping it completely. His lips managed to capture hers for a moment before she could pull herself away, slipping down his body to help him unbuckle his boots. She pulled each one off and cast them aside, then helped him peel his spandex suit off his body to toss carelessly across the room.

Megamind lay naked beneath her hungry eyes, an expectant smile on his lips and a soft blush to his cheeks, and once again she was struck by just how beautiful his body really was.

Roxanne had told him she didn't want to take it slow. In her eagerness, she'd convinced him she wanted to move quickly, but now that she had him lying bare before her, she found she wanted to take her time and enjoy him. His eyes were watching her every move, waiting for her to show him what she wanted, eager to please her but not to rush her. She reached down to bring her hands to his chest, caressing his smooth blue skin reverently, the way he always touched her, letting her fingers explore and appreciate his body as her eyes gazed into his in awe. "You are _so_ handsome, Arcani… So beautiful… You take my breath away."

"Roxanne…" Megamind breathed as though he were speaking the name of a goddess, his eyes closing as he rested his head back and relaxed, giving himself over to her affections. The message was clear even without words: Touch me… Feel me… _Enjoy me_… Roxanne did not intend to disappoint him.

"You have such an amazing body…" Roxanne purred, her fingers trailing over his nipples and down his ribs, feeling every one of them beneath his skin. He didn't have as many as a human, his rib cage ending higher up on his torso. She smiled as she felt his chest rise and fall with every breath he took, moving her hand to rest over his heart as she felt it racing within his chest. "I _love_ your skin…" she whispered, letting her fingers slide over his toned abdominal muscles. "So smooth and soft… I love your color." He moaned softly, and she knew that had been the first time anyone had ever told him that. His hands were caressing her sides gently, but he made no move to stop her, not even interrupting her to ask her to remove her own clothes… He was enjoying this as much as she was, and she ran her hands back up his sides to his neck, her lips following. "I love your neck…" She trailed kisses all the way up it to his jaw line, then followed that until she reached his ear. "And your ears are just so sexy…" He moaned softly, almost a whimper as she kissed his ear, and she felt his grip on her hips tighten. Her heart felt so full it could burst…

She moved her kisses to his over-large cranium next, her hands running over it with all the affection she could muster. "I _love_ your giant blue head," she whispered, and kissed him tenderly when she heard him draw in a shuddering breath. She was saying everything he'd never heard before, telling him all the things he craved to hear, and she knew it was overwhelming for him, but she couldn't stop… She couldn't stop saying them, couldn't stop touching him… And she didn't want to. She kissed him tenderly between his eyes and down the bridge of his nose as she insisted, "I love your nose…" She kissed him softly on his eyelids, savoring the intake of breath the action pulled from his lips and whispered, "And I simply _adore_ your eyes." His eyes fluttered open to gaze deep into hers and she smiled at him warmly. "So beautiful… So expressive… Not evil at all; just misunderstood." She could see the tears starting to gather in the corners of his eyes even as his smile grew warmer, and she kissed the corners of his eyelids to chase them away. He sighed contentedly, leaving his eyes closed as she ran her fingers over his eyelashes. "I love your eyelashes… Such a beautiful contrast against your blue skin…" She allowed her fingers to trace over his goatee. "I love your goatee." She traced his lips with her fingers, smiling as he parted them slightly at her touch, his breath hot against her fingertips. "And I love your lips… So smooth and moist… Irresistible…" She pressed her lips to his and relished the moan that issued from his lips as he kissed her warmly back. She almost felt bad when she pulled back to whisper tenderly, "I love the way you kiss… So passionate, so heartfelt… I love the way you _taste_, sweeter than a human, like a drug I can't get enough of."

"Roxanne…" Megamind breathed her name again and she felt him tremble slightly beneath her, his emotions almost more than he could bear.

But Roxanne couldn't stop, and didn't want to. "I love the way you say my name," she breathed against his lips, "Your voice so tender and affectionate…" He whispered her name again and her smile grew. He was overwhelmed, but playing her game, and her heart was racing with love for him. She had to tear her eyes from his as she slipped back down to place tender kisses all over his chest. "I love the fact you have no hair on your body… Nothing to get in the way of my lips or to mar your beautiful skin…" He moaned out loud as her lips kissed their way down his abs and found his belly button. She giggled, "I love your belly button… It's just so cute." She let her kisses wander until they reached his waist, listening to him gasp at where she was heading. She glanced up to see his face had turned violet. "I love the way you blush." If anything, he purpled even more at that, and she giggled softly before skipping over his groin to turn her attention to his toes. "I love your toes," she insisted, threading her fingers in between each one. He jumped slightly when she accidentally tickled him and she giggled, noting that one for later use against him. "I love the fact you're ticklish…" she purred, then brought his hands to her lips to kiss his fingers. "I love your hands… So skilled and talented… I love your long fingers, different than ours, but so beautiful in their own right."

Megamind sighed audibly, and Roxanne wondered how much more of this sensory overload he could take. She knew she should back off, but she just couldn't… Letting his hands fall back to her shoulders, she let her hands slide sensually up his thighs. "I _love_ your legs… So slender, but toned." Her hands reached his hips and she purred, "I adore how terribly _thin_ you are, so inhumanly slim and just… _perfect_…" She caressed his hips for just a moment as she gave him time to breathe, then smiled as she finally allowed her gaze to drift to his hard, throbbing member. Sliding her hands around to his backside, she started there, watching as his ears flushed a deep fuchsia as she squeezed his buttocks appreciatively. "I _love_ your butt…" she whispered sensually, running her hands all over the soft flesh. "So pert and firm…"

"Roxanne…" Megamind whispered her name, and from the tightness in his voice, she could tell he was beginning to lose control.

Roxanne didn't stop. She could tell just by looking at his hardened length he was most likely in more pain than he was letting on, but she couldn't stop and didn't want to. Sliding her hands around his thighs, she listened to him gasp as she slowly brought them in closer, letting her fingertips graze against the hyper-sensitive skin at the base of his shaft and balls. He was biting his lower lip now, his hands tightening on her clothing as she allowed her hand to gently cup his balls, whispering seductively, "I absolutely _love_ your balls… So soft and tender…" Megamind moaned out loud and she let her other hand trail up his shaft to tease his head. "And I _adore_ everything about your penis… I love the color… I love the feel of it… So soft and so smooth… So hard… Mmmm…" She leaned in and let her nose run up it, breathing hotly on it and he started breathing heavily, gasping again. He was watching her now, uncertain what she meant to do, and she grinned to herself mischievously. She would put him out of his misery… "I love the way your sex smells…" she purred, then before he could even hazard a guess as to what she planned to do, she slipped his member into her mouth to taste him.

"Oh, God!" Megamind cried out, his head hitting back against the couch as her warm, wet mouth enveloped his arousal, his chest rising and falling with every heavy breath as he gripped the back of the couch in one hand as though to steady himself.

Roxanne very slowly pulled back to let him slip from her mouth after a few moments, smiling as she purred, "Mmmm… And I love the way it _tastes_…" She never gave him time to catch his breath before taking him in her mouth again, savoring the intense moan the action pulled from his lips. And this time, she applied some _pressure_…

Megamind's cry of pleasure resounded through the Lair as his hips bucked up into her mouth, his grip on her hair struggling not to become so tight he hurt her. His eyes were clamped shut, his breathing coming in heavy gasps as Roxanne sucked on him, her head bobbing up and down his shaft. Her hands held his hips for the first few movements, helping him to find a rhythm that wouldn't accidentally hurt her as she realized he couldn't stop himself from thrusting in his pleasure. Once he'd found his rhythm, she let her hands slide in to tease him, one fondling his balls while the other gripped the base of his shaft and pumped it in rhythm with the movements of her mouth. "Oh, God! Roxanne!" Megamind cried out, but she never stopped, and she had no intentions of doing so…

As Roxanne's confidence grew with every sigh and moan that issued from his lips, she decided to experiment and started to add tongue movements to her motions. Megamind went wild, crying out loudly and calling her name, his hips bucking into her mouth as she swirled her tongue around his head, teasing the sensitive flesh. His face was flushed as purple as it could get, and she could feel his muscles tensing, preparing for his release… "R-Roxanne! Roxanne, I can't stop it!" he cried out desperately, trying to warn her to back off, but she didn't stop. Instead, she sucked on him even harder… "I'm… I'm going to… Roxanne! AAAAH!" He came so hard in her mouth it shot straight back into her throat, giving her no choice but to swallow. She sucked on him hard, pulling his semen from him with every fresh burst, thrilling with every loud moan that escaped his lips. He was breathing hard as his ejaculation flowed steadily from his body into her greedy throat, every rock of his hips delivering more of the thick, sweet fluid as Roxanne swallowed it down. When he had finally finished, he collapsed back with a loud cry of ecstasy, breathing hard as he tried to catch his breath. "Oh, God… Oh, God, Roxanne… You... You didn't have to do that… Oh, that was _amazing_…"

Roxanne giggled as she finally let him slowly fall from out of her lips just to lick him clean as he watched her in awe. "Mmmm… I love the taste of your seed, too… So sweet," she purred, her eyes meeting his and he laughed softly before falling back to relax.

"Oh, Roxanne… That was… Unnnf," Megamind moaned as she crawled over him, a devilish grin as she licked her lips. He eyed her sharply and asked, "Have you done this before? Be honest…"

Roxanne giggled, blushing softly as she shook her head. "No, I haven't," she answered honestly and he raised an eyebrow at her as though he didn't believe it. She chuckled, answering the questions in his eyes, "I never did too much more than a little feeling up with other boys, I swear! But I've heard others talking, and thought I would experiment… See if you liked it. I think it's pretty safe to say you did."

Megamind chuckled, sighing in absolute delight as he melted into the couch beneath her. "Oh, I think _that's_ an understatement!" he purred, then gazed at her with so much adoration in his eyes she could feel her heart melting. "All those things you said… No one's ever… I mean… Thank you."

Roxanne's eyes softened as she assured him warmly, "I meant every word, Arcani. You are so very beautiful to me, in every way."

Megamind squeezed his eyes shut for a moment as he tried to hold back his emotions. When they opened again, they locked desperately on hers as he whispered softly, "Kiss me…"

Roxanne blinked, giggling at him, "You know what I just did to you… Where my mouth has been… You might want to wait a…"

Megamind shook his head and insisted, interrupting her, "I don't care! Just kiss me…" Without even waiting for a response from her, he pulled her down to him as he captured her lips with his own, kissing her deeply.

Roxanne moaned into his mouth as he kissed her greedily, his tongue exploring her mouth deeply. She was almost certain he could taste himself on her tongue, but if the fact bothered him at all, he certainly wasn't showing it. In fact, he was moaning… His arms wrapped around her, holding her to him close, and she sighed into his mouth as his attentions only served to intensify her own need for him. She knew he wouldn't be ready for further action for a while yet, or at least, that's what she had _assumed_… As his passion grew, she suddenly found him shifting position, rolling her over to lie on her back beneath him and was shocked to feel something very hard pressing up against her center. She gasped and pulled back from his lips, her eyes flicking down to try to see between his legs, then focusing in surprise on his eyes when she couldn't see a thing, his body pressed tightly to hers. He was smirking as she asked in her astonishment, "How could you be…? I mean, don't you need to rest a bit first?"

Megamind chuckled amusedly, leaning in to whisper seductively into her ear as his fingers slowly unfastened the buttons of her blouse, "Call it a perk to not being _human_…"

Roxanne could feel her body growing warm between her legs as her smile grew, helping him to remove her shirt. "You recover quickly?" she questioned as his fingers deftly unfastened her bra and pulled it off.

"I guess you could say that…" Megamind purred, moving to rid her of her skirt next. His eyes were shining, his grin sly as he pulled it off her and explained sensually, "I'm capable of multiple orgasms. My alien physiology allows me to have as many as I like, as often as I like." He licked his lips as he slid her panties down her legs, slowly removing them. "I merely have to want it, and my body will make it happen."

Roxanne was grinning as he moved to lie down on top of her, his slim hips easily fitting between her thick thighs as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "So you mean to tell me that if I wanted you to make love to me all day long and not stop even once, you can make that happen?"

Megamind chuckled, teasing her as he let his hardened member rub against her entrance but didn't let it enter. "I can, and I will, if that's what you want…" he purred against her lips, grinning devilishly. "We could mate all day if you wish… I'll only stop when you tell me to."

"Oh, I _love_ your alien physiology…" Roxanne sighed in delight, capturing his lips with her own. He laughed as she kissed him, then moaned as he relaxed into it, his hips shifting against her as his hand ran up her thigh.

"So… Shall I return the favor?" Megamind asked between kisses, his voice low and sultry. "Or do you want the real thing?"

Roxanne could feel his arousal throbbing against her center, his head teasingly close to her entrance, and she knew what she wanted. "I want to feel _you_, Arcani," she whispered into his hungry mouth. "You can return the favor later, but right now I want _you_."

Megamind moaned softly in delight, then whispered back, "Then you shall have me… I love you, Roxanne…" Without another moment's hesitation, he slowly and gently entered inside her…

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><p>All thought of watching movies together went right out the window.<p>

Roxanne could not believe how much stamina Megamind had. He was like an unstoppable force of sexual energy, all of it focused on her, and she was loving every minute of it. The first two times they made love, they stayed on Megamind's couch, gently and tenderly exploring each other as they expressed their love for one another with every intimate move of their bodies… And then they started to experiment.

Megamind loved to go slow and gentle, but as his confidence grew, Roxanne quickly discovered he was eager to try new things, starting with new positions. The charismatic blue alien was very experimental, and she was more than happy to let him try anything he wanted. They must have tried almost a dozen positions in the first two hours alone, and then he got the bright idea to move their lovemaking to other locations and was soon dragging her to every room in the Lair, laughing like a giddy child on a sugar high. They made love on his bed in his bedroom, on his workbench, in the kitchen… Roxanne was almost certain they must have broken his high-backed leather chair from the abuse it had taken when she'd ridden him so hard he had been screaming her name as she screamed his. She had no doubt half his brainbots were probably scarred for life… They had only stopped once, and that was only because Roxanne got hungry, but even stopping to eat had led to the tasting of _other things_… They simply could not keep their hands off each other, and she liked it that way. She never wanted it to end…

But all good things had to end _sometime_, even though neither of them wanted it to. When 10:00 rolled around that night and Roxanne realized what time it was, she had to stop him before he could lure her into another round as he eyed his bed with longing. Reminding him of his 11:00 curfew, they reluctantly dressed, Megamind sighing as he dragged himself away from the Lair to get into Roxanne's car for the trip back to prison. He didn't want to go back, and Roxanne wished he didn't have to…

Roxanne pulled up outside the prison gates, and Megamind hesitated to step out of the car. Turning back to smile at her, he rested his hand over hers and insisted, "I had fun tonight, Roxanne… I just want you to know I hadn't _planned_ to spend the whole day mating with you… It just kind of… happened."

He chuckled softly and Roxanne giggled. "I know," she assured him. "I had fun too. I love you, Arcani."

"I love you too, Roxanne," Megamind whispered, then brought his lips to hers to steal one final, tender kiss.

When at last their lips separated, Roxanne smiled and teased him, making shooing motions with her hands, "Now, go on! Get some sleep! Something tells me you're going to need it after all that activity…"

Megamind grinned. "Oh, I don't think _I'm _the one who's worn out…" he purred, winking at her, then laughed as he finally opened the car door and stepped outside. "I'll see you in class on Monday!"

"Until then," Roxanne smiled at him, then watched as he closed the door and marched through the prison gates to be handcuffed once again. She shook her head at the sight, her heart aching. She would never get used to seeing him behind bars. She longed for the day when he wouldn't have to be.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: This chapter's rated PG for discussion of adult themes and scenarios. I hope you guys like this one!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 19**

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><p>The following day, after she'd finished with her homework, Roxanne found herself standing outside Scott Manor with an excited grin on her face. It was time she paid her old friend a much deserved visit.<p>

Roxanne had known she could find him here. It wasn't hard to guess where he would be after her friend, Judy, had finally called her up earlier that day to apologize for her behavior towards her relationship with Megamind and excitedly relay Metro Man's latest heroic exploits. She had been thrilled to hear her friend admit to having judged her blue boyfriend too quickly, even though she was still obviously wary about him and refused to dwell long on any discussion pertaining to him, but it had been an improvement since they'd fought over the subject almost two weeks ago and she had gladly forgiven the girl. Relieved to hear her best friend had no intentions of holding a grudge, Judy had eagerly delved into the _other_ reason she had called – to pass on what she had just heard about Metro Man stopping an armed bank robbery just earlier that day. After performing such a noble act, Roxanne knew there was only one place the developing hero would go to for some much needed relaxation: his music room.

Making her way through the ornate doors that led to his private sanctuary, Roxanne smiled as she caught the chiseled teenager swaying his hips as he sang along – rather poorly – to Elvis's song, _Hound Dog_. She tried not to giggle as she realized _this_ was probably why he never sang in public; he just couldn't pull it off, though he was obviously having fun with it. He noticed her almost immediately, a huge grin splitting his face as he greeted her warmly, "Roxy! What a pleasant surprise!"

Roxanne merely smiled back, crossing her arms over her chest as she remarked in her best nosy reporter voice, "So I hear _you've_ been crime fighting again. Care to give an exclusive interview on your latest heroic deeds?"

Wayne chuckled. "Always direct, but I could never turn _you_ down, Roxy," he agreed, lowering the volume of his music and gesturing for her to take a seat. He smiled as they both sat down, insisting, "But I see no reason to rush into _business_ so quickly. How'd your date with Megamind go?"

Roxanne could feel her cheeks flushing slightly and hoped the effect wasn't too noticeable, carefully controlling her smile as she answered honestly, "It went very well, actually. Megamind's a real sweetheart." Wayne merely nodded as her smile widened. "Listen, Wayne, I wanted to thank you for the other night… What you did for Megamind after the talent show… That was very noble."

Wayne's face grew serious as he raised a hand up and insisted, "I only righted a severe injustice, that is all. Megamind _earned_ that trophy. I did not. All I did was set things right."

"Well, he certainly appreciated it," Roxanne assured him, the warmth never fading from her smile. "And so did I. That took a lot of guts, and in front of everyone. You have a heart of gold, Wayne."

Wayne chuckled, scratching at the back of his head as he admitted, "Yeah, it was a little tough trying to explain _that_ one to my parents… Fighting crime is nothing. Try bringing home a _second place_ trophy when they _saw_ you receive _first_…"

Roxanne laughed. She couldn't help it. "Yeah, I'd imagine _that_ would be a tough one."

"Give me an armed gunman over my angry, scolding mother any day!" Wayne joked, laughing heartily. "That woman sure can make you feel only two feet tall, no matter what super-powers you may have…"

"Yes, Mothers can do that to you…" Roxanne giggled, then blinked as she saw his expression shift to one of quizzical confusion. "What?"

Wayne's eyes were scanning over her curiously as he asked suddenly, "Roxy, do you feel all right?"

Roxanne was totally taken aback by the question that had seemingly come out of nowhere. "I feel fine, why?"

"Something's different… Your skin looks… I don't know, redder than usual…" Wayne muttered under his breath, his gaze growing even more intense.

Roxanne began to feel suddenly self-conscious. Why on Earth was he staring at her like that? Had she said something wrong? "Well, I felt a little nauseous this morning, but it passed…" she finally responded matter-of-factly. "I might have had a bug, but I'm fine now."

Wayne's eyes widened suddenly, his invulnerable skin turning pale white as he drew back as though he'd seen a ghost. His eyes were glued to her stomach for a moment before finally pulling away to look her in the eye as he asked as gently as he could, "Uh… R-Roxy… When you… Uh… When you and Megamind, um…" He coughed into his hand. "Have _sex_… Are you using protection?"

Roxanne could feel herself paling as she frowned at him, her heart suddenly racing as she tried to deny, "What? What are you talking about? Megamind and I have _never_…"

Wayne's expression grew patient, his eyes telling her as plain as day he wasn't buying it as he cut her off, "Roxy, I'm no fool. I know you two are sleeping together. It's written all over both your faces. Let's not lie to each other, all right? Please. This is important."

Roxanne suddenly felt like there was a rock in her stomach. Why did she have a bad feeling about where he was going with this? "Fine…"

Wayne patiently repeated his question. "When you sleep with him, are either of you using protection?"

Roxanne blushed, unable to meet his eyes as she shook her head. "No. He's an alien."

Wayne groaned and buried his face in his hand. When he looked back up, his entire expression read, "Don't kill the messenger," and the rock in Roxanne's stomach grew heavier. "Roxy… When was your last period?"

"About a month ago…" Roxanne answered practically on auto-pilot. She knew where this was heading, but prayed desperately she was wrong… "I'm due for my next one any day now…"

Wayne sighed and informed her gently, "You won't be getting it…" Moving over to kneel down in front of her, he placed his hands on her shoulders as though to both comfort and steady her as he spoke in as gentle a tone as he could, "Roxy… You're pregnant."

Roxanne couldn't even form words at first, her head shaking in automatic denial. "No… No, no, no, no! It's not possible!" she insisted, suddenly feeling sick to her stomach. "I can't be pregnant! How could I be pregnant? Megamind's not even human! He's an _alien_, a whole other _species_! You're wrong! You've got to be! And how would you know anyway?"

The patience never left Wayne's eyes, his tone remaining gentle. "X-ray vision, remember?" She blinked and paled noticeably, his large hands massaging her shoulders in a calming fashion. "I'm sorry, Roxy… You know I wouldn't usually use it on you, but your skin looked different and I thought I should check… I was hoping you were simply sick, but you're not." He sighed softly, looking awkward as he reminded her, "Megamind may be an _alien_, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's incompatible with humans, and he is _male_. I'm not going to pry into your sex life with him… I don't even want to know those details, but you should have been more careful, Roxy… It's risky enough for _human_ teenagers to have sex unprotected, but with _Megamind_? For all you know, he may be _extremely_ potent, his body designed to _ensure_ insemination…"

Roxanne doubted her face could get any more white than it was right now. Everything Wayne had just said made perfect sense, especially after her rather pleasant discovery yesterday that Megamind could basically summon an erection – and resulting ejaculation – at will. His species was probably designed to get the job _done_… And to enjoy themselves while they were at it. Even so, she still couldn't believe it. "No… No…" Roxanne continued to deny, shaking her head violently. "It… It can't be true… I don't believe it… It just can't be! I can't be pregnant! It's not possible!"

Wayne's eyes saddened at the sight of her distress, and he gently pulled her up to her feet to stand. Wrapping his massive, muscled arms around her in a comforting gesture, he assured her gently, "Don't worry, Roxy… I'm here for you. If you don't trust my eyes, we'll get you a pregnancy test. But don't be frightened… We'll take this one step at a time, OK? First thing's first: Let's get you a pregnancy test and confirm this. Who knows, maybe I'll be wrong, OK?"

Roxanne nodded against his burly chest, squeezing him tight as she tried to control the fear threatening to overtake her. "OK," she agreed, her voice barely more than a choked whisper. "I'll take a test."

"Good," Wayne sighed against her, and she could feel his arms squeeze her a hair tighter just before he let her go. "Now let's go get you that test. I'll fly you; it'll be faster."

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><p>The trip to the drug store and back again was brief as Wayne flew her to an obscure shop where he knew no one would recognize her. Roxanne had gone in, bought the test, and gotten out as fast as she could, embarrassed as the sales clerk raised an eyebrow as he rang up her purchase. She was glad he didn't actually <em>say<em> anything, but his eyes said enough. She sighed in relief when she was back in the privacy of Wayne's personal suite, even as he gestured for her to use his bathroom while he waited outside it. "Just take the test," the super-powered man spoke to her in his gentlest voice. "We'll read the results together." She had just nodded, too numb to speak, and had gone into the bathroom, dreading what she knew his superhuman eyes had already seen…

She was pregnant.

Roxanne didn't say a word when she came back out of the bathroom, but her eyes said it all. Her hand was shaking as she held the test out for him to see, then dropped it to the floor as she burst into tears, Wayne's strong arms wrapping around her as he held her tight. "Shhh…" he tried to soothe her gently, his hand stroking her hair. "It'll be all right. You'll get through this…"

But Roxanne wasn't worried about herself. She wasn't even worried about the baby, or how on Earth she was going to explain this to her parents. "How am I going to tell Megamind?" she sobbed into her friend's massive shoulder, grateful for his warm embrace. "I don't know how he'll take it… He's trapped in a prison for goodness' sakes, and he never even did anything to deserve his life sentence! The only crime he's ever committed was having the misfortune to land there when he was an infant and to have blue skin. Tell me how that's fair!" Wayne squeezed her tighter as she poured her heart out, unable to stop herself. "He's _brilliant_, and sensitive, but all his life he's been abused, neglected, and bullied… He's only _now_ starting to see that _he_ can actually be _loved_ for who and what he _is_, that he doesn't have to become what everyone _thinks_ he is, and now I have to tell him I'm _pregnant_?" A wail escaped her lips as she shook her head against him. "How on Earth am I supposed to break this to him?"

"Maybe he'll be happy…" Wayne suggested gently, and Roxanne pulled back to look him in his gentle blue eyes, her tears slowing. He smiled weakly as he reminded her softly, "Megamind thinks he is doomed to be the last of his kind… Maybe he'll be happy to know he won't be, and that the woman he obviously so desperately loves will be the mother of his child."

Roxanne drew in a few deep, shuddering breaths as she tried to regain control of her emotions, drying her tears on her sleeve. "Oh, I hope you're right, Wayne… I don't want to hurt or frighten him. I don't want that for the world… He's been so wonderful to me… You have no idea just how sweet and kind he really is, Wayne. He deserves so much better than he's been given in this life, and now I have to drop the biggest bombshell of them all in his lap…"

Wayne sighed and pulled her back into his arms to hold her tight, breathing against her hair, "Don't worry. Megamind's pretty tough; even _I_ know that. He'll deal with it. And maybe it won't be as bad as you fear… Just remember to breathe. Don't tell your parents yet… You have plenty of time to do that. Worry about Megamind first, and handle them later." Roxanne squeezed him tight for a moment before he pulled back to look her in the eye, asking gently but seriously, "Do you want me to be there when you tell Megamind?"

Roxanne shook her head. "No. You may have shocked him by giving him your first place trophy, but I still get the distinct impression he's unsure about you. You set him on edge. I'm afraid if you're there, you'll just make things worse. Besides, I can do this on my own. I'll tell him tomorrow… It's too late to go to the prison now, and that's not the right setting for this…"

Wayne nodded. "I understand. This is something you have to do by yourself. But, Roxy… Remember that I'm here for you, no matter what happens, all right? You're _not_ alone in this. I'll stand beside you."

"Thank you, Wayne," Roxanne sighed gratefully, falling back into his arms one more time as she drew comfort from his embrace. "I'm so glad I have a friend like you."

Wayne smiled weakly, resting his chiseled chin against her head as he insisted, "It's my pleasure, Roxy. Always."


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: I really hope you guys like this chapter. I'm very anxious posting this one... Please be gentle, and keep in mind that there _is_ an epilogue coming up tomorrow. I know this isn't a Disney-esque happily-ever-after ending... But it's happy enough in certain respects, and I'm totally setting this up so I can write sequels if people like it. I want to thank mia_vaan and LJ's cyrrus25 for helping me to brainstorm on this; if not for their help, I'd probably _still_ be sitting on this thing unable to think of ANY way to satisfactorily end this... Anyway, I'm too nervous to say anything else without just babbling, so on to the story! I really, _really_ hope you guys like it... ^_^; (And please, _please_ remember there is an epilogue which will end on a much happier note! XD) I love you guys! 3 This chapter is rated PG for discussion of adult themes/sex and violence.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

**Chapter 20**

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><p>Roxanne fidgeted restlessly in her seat at her desk the following morning as she waited for Megamind to arrive, knowing she probably looked as haggard as she felt despite her desperate attempts to mask the bags under her eyes with make-up that morning. She'd had an awful time trying to get to sleep the night before, and when she finally did, her dreams were plagued with worry over how her revelation would affect Megamind. She hadn't told her parents yet; taking Metro Man's advice, she'd thought it wisest to tell Megamind first in case he wanted to be present when she told them. Metro Man had cast her a quick, but concerned glance when he arrived, his eyes seeking to determine if she was OK, but Roxanne was grateful he didn't come over to talk to her, choosing to sit politely and quietly at his desk instead. The last thing she wanted right now was a commotion to draw attention to her condition. Megamind had a right to know before anyone else did.<p>

The fact the gossip spreading around her was less favorable towards Megamind than Roxanne had hoped didn't help. Apparently, though definitely impressed by his dancing skills and technological prowess (after all, he _had_ summoned up a hoard of very lifelike zombies from out of nowhere, and only Roxanne had been able to pry the secret of their creation out of him; it had something to do with 3-dimensional hologram generators built into his brainbots and a few other specifics she hadn't quite understood), the general suspicion spreading throughout school was that the charismatic blue alien was trying to lure them into a false sense of security in order to catch them off-guard when he launched whatever evil plan it was he must have been hatching in that enormous head of his… Yes, they had cheered for the villain, and yes, he had most definitely deserved first place at the talent show, but that apparently still hadn't won him any noticeable amount of respect in their eyes. Nothing had changed… They still hated and feared him, and that made Roxanne's job all the more difficult. She tried not to think of the criticism she might suffer when word of her pregnancy finally got out… Right now, all she wanted to worry about was Megamind and how _he_ would take it.

When Megamind finally sauntered into Homeroom that morning, he was grinning from ear to ear, his eyes obviously excited to see her, and her heart sank at the thought of the rock she had to drop into his lap. Every cell in her body wanted to keep that warm smile on his lips, but she knew it would soon fade when he heard her message. Megamind surprised her, however, when instead of rushing straight over to her he paused at Metro Man's desk instead. She blinked and watched as he hesitated, Metro Man's eyes meeting his in surprised confusion. When he finally spoke, she was surprised to hear no malice in his tone, sounding merely cautious, almost bordering on friendly instead as he said, "You showed _guts_ Friday night, Metro Man, giving _me_ the trophy I rightly _deserved_… I'm afraid I may have misjudged the reach of that sense of justice of yours… I didn't think it extended to 'bad guys.'"

Metro Man blinked at him a few times before he could respond, clearly stunned, then smiled awkwardly as he insisted, "Wrong is wrong, Megamind. Even 'bad guys' deserve recognition when they've earned it, and you _earned_ that trophy. The true _evil_ was giving you second place instead of first when you deserved better. Don't thank me. I merely did what the judges should have done and righted a wrong."

Megamind quickly puffed his chest out as he straightened himself as tall as he could become, his usual cocky grin plastered on his face, trying to appear tough – though his eyes were obviously grateful as he snickered, "_Me_ thank _you_? Hah! You misunderstand! I am doing nothing of the sort! I am merely recognizing the _hero's_ limitations and feeling out his weaknesses, that is all!"

Metro Man chuckled, and Roxanne could barely believe her eyes as she saw a glance of what could only be described as mutual respect pass between them. That had been the _last_ thing she had expected to see… "Whatever you say, _villain_," Metro Man playfully mocked him, then nodded towards his desk in the back. "Now get moving before you cause a scene, or should I _put_ you in your chair?"

"Touch me and see what happens…" Megamind dared him, grinning wickedly, and Metro Man just laughed. He smirked at the larger, stronger alien, then finally turned towards Roxanne, his smile brightening the instant he did so. "Roxanne!" he greeted her warmly, trotting excitedly over to his desk to throw himself down into it. "How are you?" He cocked his head slightly as he noticed the bags under her eyes, commenting in confusion, "You look tired… Didn't you sleep last night?"

_Great, he's _observant_ today…_ Roxanne groaned to herself in her mind. She had been hoping he wouldn't notice the little things. She forced a smile onto her lips, hoping it didn't somehow look awkward as she tried to deflect his attention away from her obvious anxiety, "Oh, no, I slept! I was just so excited to see you that I had trouble getting to sleep in the first place, that's all…"

Megamind blinked and stared at her hard, his smile quickly shifting into a concerned frown, and Roxanne felt the rock in the pit of her stomach get heavier. He didn't buy it… "Roxanne, what's wrong?" he demanded, his voice laden with worry. "Are you all right? Did something happen? You're lying to me…" His face paled noticeably, his eyes widening with fear as he practically choked the words out, "Did I… Did I do something _wrong_? Did I hurt you? Oh, God, tell me I didn't hurt you!"

Roxanne blushed furiously, quickly leaning across the distance between their desks to put her hand over his mouth as he seemed on the verge of panicking, his voice continually raising in pitch. "Keep your voice down!" she squeaked, barely above a whisper as she noticed Metro Man was not the only one watching them now. He blinked at her, his eyes widening anxiously and she slowly removed her hand from his lips as she scolded him quietly, "You're going to cause a scene, and I'd really rather not draw attention to this!"

"So something _is_ wrong," Megamind realized, every muscle in his body tense, his heart in his eyes. "What's going on? Did I do something? Please, Roxanne, you know I'd never hurt you intentionally!"

"Quiet, Megamind!" Roxanne pleaded with him desperately. She could feel the eyes of her classmates boring into her as she gestured for him to settle down. "Please! The others…"

"I don't care about them!" Megamind cried, obviously agitated. Roxanne could see the anxiety in his eyes and knew he was probably bracing himself, fearing she was about to dump him. "I care about _you_! Why won't you tell me what's wrong? If I did something, if I hurt you, I'm sorry! I didn't mea…"

Roxanne clasped her hand over his mouth again, firmly silencing him, and this time she didn't let go. "That's enough! We need to talk." His eyes grew even more nervous and she could see his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard, what she knew were the beginnings of tears forming in the corners of his eyes. There was no way he was going to let her wait until lunch to talk to her; she had to do this _now_. Dragging him to his feet as she made her way around her desk, she pulled him behind her as she hurried from the room, her hand still firmly clasped over his mouth to keep him quiet. Mrs. Green called after her, warning her she'd receive detention as class was starting, but she didn't care. This was more important…

Roxanne dragged Megamind into the first empty room she could find: a broom closet, turning on the light and shutting the door behind them before finally letting her hand fall away from his mouth. The moment her hand was off him, Megamind started shouting in his panic, "Roxanne, you're scaring me! What's going on? Have I hurt you? I didn't mean to hurt you! Whatever I did, I'm sorry! You know I would _never_…"

"Arcani, calm down!" Roxanne cried, using his real name to get his attention. It worked and he stilled, but he was breathing hard, obviously anxious. She ran her hand over her eyes, trying to gather her courage. "There's something I need to tell you…"

Megamind reached out and grabbed hold of her shoulders, looking her desperately in her eye as he choked, barely holding back his frightened tears, "Please, Roxanne! Don't… Don't throw me away… I… I can change! I can be good! I don't have to be the villain! I'll change my destiny, be the _hero_ for you, the man you deserve! Just… Just give me a chance to make it up to you… Whatever I did, I'm sorry!"

Roxanne's heart broke just then as she saw the intense devotion in his eyes, his words echoing through her mind like a mantra… _"I can be the _hero_!"_ Without even responding or thinking about what she was doing, she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his hard, kissing him deeply. He gasped slightly, surprised by the action, but kissed her fiercely back as though he feared she was about to simply disappear. His grip on her was tight as his arms encircled her, holding her close, but Roxanne could feel him trembling and knew he was terrified. Every man, woman, and child he had ever met in his life had simply abused him, neglecting him, and pushing him away… He had come to expect rejection, and was terrified of losing her. She could tell just by the intensity of his kiss how deeply rooted that fear was. She had always known that beneath all the bad boy bravado he was really insecure, believing it impossible for anyone to love _him_, and that fear was pouring into her now. She could taste it in his lips, feel it in the grip of his long, blue fingers on her back as he clutched at her shirt; he was _terrified_ she would leave him in the end, just like everyone else always had. When she finally pulled back from his lips, he tried to follow them for a moment, obviously reluctant to let her end it, his eyes wide and nervous as they locked on hers. "Roxanne…" he breathed her name shakily, and she smiled at him warmly, raising a hand to his cheek to silence him.

"I'm _not_ leaving you, Arcani," Roxanne assured him warmly, allowing her hand to trace back along his jaw line to cradle his enormous head. His eyes searched hers as though trying to determine if she was lying, but her gaze never faltered. "I will _never_ leave you. That's not what we need to talk about. It's quite the opposite, really."

"You… You're _not_ leaving me?" Megamind repeated, his eyes flooding with relief. "The way you were acting… I was sure…"

"I'm not leaving you," Roxanne repeated firmly, the tender caress of her fingers on his scalp slowly easing his nerves. She could feel him starting to relax in her arms and hoped he would relax enough to take her news well… "And you haven't hurt me. You didn't do anything wrong; or at least, no more than I did…"

Megamind looked utterly confused and concerned as he asked, "What do you mean? What's going on, Roxanne? You can trust me… Please…"

Roxanne's eyes grew shy as she slowly, reluctantly withdrew from his arms, practically whispering, "What I have to tell you may shock you, Arcani… Even I didn't believe it at first…" She licked her lips and swallowed hard, then gathering all of her courage, she looked him in the eye and told him as gently as she could, "I'm… I'm pregnant."

Megamind hesitated for a moment as though waiting for more, then visibly relaxed as he began to chuckle. "Is that all?" he questioned, his eyes lighting up. "The way you were acting, I thought you had _bad_ news for me!"

Roxanne blinked at him, both stunned and relieved to find him taking the news so well. "Wait… You're not upset? I thought for sure you'd be panicking…"

"Why would I be upset?" Megamind asked seriously, smiling warmly at her as he reached out to place one hand on her hip, his other trailing lovingly over her abdomen in obvious wonder. "Roxanne, we've created a new _life_ together! I wasn't even sure it would be _possible_… But here it is!" He sighed audibly and fell against her, embracing her tight in his arms. "Mmmm… Oh, Roxanne… You've made me so happy. First you become my mate and now you give me the greatest gift I could ask for…"

Roxanne squeezed him tight, blinking back the tears that threatened to rush to her eyes in her relief as she practically whispered against him, "You're really not upset about this?"

Megamind shook his over-large head against her, drawing in a deep breath of her scent. "No. I was wondering if you would conceive or not… Though I'll admit I thought it would take more time if you could."

Roxanne pulled back from his embrace to look him in his eyes. "You knew this might happen?"

Megamind smiled at her innocently. "Of course. You're my mate. We've been mated."

He stated it so matter-of-factly that Roxanne almost laughed. "Well, I think that's a given…" she giggled softly, relaxing under the warmth of his gaze. It was such a relief to see how well he was taking this, although she suspected as she gazed into his eyes he had been hoping for it… "Arcani… Were you _hoping_ I'd get pregnant?"

Megamind blushed softly, his eyes growing shy, then admitted gently, "I thought that was why we mated… To bond ourselves to one another in our love and produce offspring…" His eyes met hers, growing questioning as he asked, "Wasn't that why you mated with me?"

Roxanne gazed into his eyes for a moment before she was able to reply, "Partly… I love you, Arcani… I made love to you to express that. I didn't plan for it to result in pregnancy."

Megamind blinked, his smile suddenly growing uncertain. "You… You didn't? Don't you want to bear my children?"

Roxanne lifted a hand to his cheek in an affectionate caress she hoped would soothe the fears she could see rising into his eyes. "I'm not saying I don't, Arcani. I just hadn't planned on doing it so _soon_… It's a little bit of a surprise for me. I expected it to be more of a surprise for you."

"We're mated," Megamind repeated, and Roxanne caught the emphasis on the term, his vivid green eyes pleading with her to understand. "I was under the impression you wanted this too…"

"When you call me your 'mate,' Arcani… What does that mean to you?" Roxanne asked gently, gazing deep into his eyes.

Megamind smiled warmly, his cheeks flushing slightly as he explained, "We've been mated, bonded… We chose each other. It means there's no one else I'd like to spend my life with; just you. You're my mate, and I'm yours."

Roxanne stared at him in breathless awe for a moment as the enormity of what he was trying to express suddenly dawned upon her. "So in your eyes… we're already married, in a sense?"

"Well, not legally, no…" Megamind admitted softly, even his ears tinged purple now. His eyes were nervous as they gazed into hers, "But in my heart… You're the only one I will ever love. You are my mate. I won't ever love another."

"Oh, Arcani…" Roxanne sighed his name as she fell into his arms again, savoring the pleased sigh the action pulled from his lips as she held him to her tight. "I love you so much…"

"I love you too, Roxanne," Megamind breathed against her neck, then suggested softly, "We could formalize it if you like…" Roxanne blinked and pulled back to look him in the eye. He was blushing, but smiling, his eyes hopeful as he insisted, "We could make it official… Soon. Before the baby comes."

Roxanne couldn't respond for a moment, overwhelmed with emotion as she tried to hold back the tears of joy now stinging her eyes. He was just too sweet for words, and his eyes were serious, hopeful as he waited for her answer. "Oh, Arcani… Of course I'll marry you," she agreed and his face lit up like a Christmas tree, his eyes shining as an excited grin practically swallowed his face. "But…" she had to add, reluctantly dampening the moment, "What are we going to do about your living in the prison? I'm sorry, Arcani, but I don't want to live behind bars…"

"I wouldn't concern yourself with that," Megamind insisted confidently. Roxanne blinked at him and he explained gently, "My birthday is in December. I'll be turning eighteen. My juvenile record is essentially erased at that point, and they'll no longer have a legal right to hold me. If I don't do anything to earn a new sentence, then I'll be free to go, whether the warden likes it or not. I'll just make sure to behave until then. Don't worry, Roxanne! I won't let you go through this alone. I will be right beside you through it all." She nodded, sighing in relief. He blinked, then asked, "Have you told your parents yet?"

Roxanne shook her head. "No. I thought you should know first."

Megamind nodded, smiling warmly. "I'm glad you told me, Roxanne. We'll face your parents together." He looked anxious suddenly as he chuckled weakly, "Oh, I fear your father will _hate_ me now… Metro Man is one thing, but your father _terrifies_ me!"

Roxanne giggled as she agreed, "Yes, he can be rather frightening when he wants to be…" She brought a hand to touch his face affectionately as she smiled at him warmly, "I'm so glad you're not upset… I love you so much, Arcani… I didn't want to hurt you."

Megamind shook his head as he insisted, "You didn't. I love you so much." His grin suddenly widened in his excitement as he finally lost control and couldn't keep his emotions bottled up inside any more, crying out in his joy, "We're going to have a _baby_! I can't believe it!" And he pressed his lips to hers to share a passionate kiss…

But it didn't last.

No sooner had Megamind's lips met Roxanne's, a soft moan catching in his throat, than the door to the broom closet was thrown open and the two turned in shock to see at least a dozen angry students glaring in at them with more steadily pouring in from all directions. Megamind moved instinctively to back Roxanne and himself up against the wall, but he never got to move more than a step before two sets of unfriendly hands grabbed hold of him, dragging him out of the closet and away from Roxanne. "You _bastard_!" they were shouting as he protested, trying to fight against their grip as he realized in panic they were dragging Roxanne from the closet as well. Roxanne shrieked as she found herself being roughly pinned to a wall by two much stronger boys.

"Hey! Get your hands off her!" Megamind shouted dangerously, and Roxanne could see his eyes narrowing, his teeth baring angrily. His protective instincts were kicking in, and she knew this was bound to end badly. She could see a few teachers peeking out at them, but seeing what was going on, they turned a blind eye to it. The teenagers surrounding her were frowning and shaking their heads, many of them cracking their knuckles and she began to fear for the worst… She cried out Megamind's name, and he shouted hers back to her, but there were too many of them. He couldn't force his way through…

"You sick _freak_!" the crowd was shouting at Megamind as he struggled against them.

"You would _dare_ fuck a _human_?"

"Keep your dick to yourself!"

"We should _castrate_ him!"

"Yeah! Cut his balls off!"

"I've got a knife! I'll do it _right now_! Let me at him!"

Roxanne cried out in horror as she heard the sound of a knife cutting through fabric, Megamind's scream piercing the air as she feared for the worst. Why was this happening? She struggled against the boys who were holding her, but she couldn't break free. The teenagers were laughing wickedly as she heard one shout out nice and loud, "Someone get Metro Man! He could _burn_ these measly nuts right off him with his lazer vision!"

"Yeah! Get Metro Man!"

"I can't find him. We'll have to do it ourselves!"

"Knife it is then! Maybe I'll take your dick while I'm at it, you disgusting little freak…"

"Yeah! Turn him into a girl!"

Roxanne's heart was racing as tears stung her cheeks. If they hadn't gotten him yet, they would get him soon… She could hear Megamind grunting and knew he was trying to fight them.

"Ow! He BIT me! That monster _BIT_ me!"

For a moment Roxanne's hopes raised as she heard the teenagers screaming, trying to recover the knife before Megamind could turn it on them, but they got a hold of him again and she could hear them slamming him roughly against a wall as he cried her name.

"That _freak_ is _dangerous_!"

"Don't let him escape!"

"Someone call the secret service! We'll hand him over for experimentation!"

Roxanne's heart sank as Megamind's voice could be heard shrieking over the crowd, higher-pitched than usual, terrified to his core. They meant to kill him… One way or another, these teenagers intended to make certain he couldn't ever have children again.

"Hey! I found the number for the secret service's paranormal research team!"

"Dial it! Dial it now!"

"It's ringing!"

"We have him! Tell them to hurry!"

"No! Megamind!" Roxanne cried, trying to break free from the people that were holding her. One boy was standing in front of her, and from the way he was rubbing his fist, she knew his intentions were not good…

"Don't worry…" the boy purred, grinning at her wickedly. "We're going to rid you of that _problem_."

His eyes were on her stomach as he punched his fist into his hand and Roxanne panicked, shrieking at the top of her lungs, "NO! MEGAMIND! HELP!"

Megamind's voice roared as a few of the teenagers trying to restrain him shrieked, and from the agitation of the crowd, she knew he'd broken free. She could hear the sound of knuckles colliding with cheekbones and had no doubt he was fighting his way through to her side. If only he had his dehydration gun… "Quick! Do it now!" one of the boys holding her to the wall urged the jock standing before her. "Get rid of it!"

"Right!" the boy agreed, and positioning himself before her as Roxanne screamed at the top of her lungs, he drew his fist back and aimed right at her womb…

Before yelping in startled shock as his hand was grabbed from above by a metal claw.

Roxanne looked up and was relieved to see a swarm of brainbots flying through the air, descending upon the mass of abusive students and bowging angrily as the teenagers began to shriek, the mechanical creatures' grasping tendrils reaching out to grab hold of them and roughly throw or carry them away. Megamind must have used his watch to call them! Roxanne had never been more grateful in her life for his "evil" inventions. When Megamind finally broke through the crowd to reach her, he was very badly bruised and obviously sore, charging at the nearest man holding her fast like a raging bull. His fist collided with the man's face with a sickening impact, and Roxanne could hear the boy's jaw crack with a loud snap. The second jock released her to go to his friend's aid, but was grabbed from above by two angry brainbots and roughly carried away. "Roxanne!" Megamind cried, hurrying to her side, but it was obvious he was panicked, running on pure adrenaline. His shirt and jeans were torn open where the knife had cut through the fabric, trails of crimson blood trickling down from where the blade had managed to pierce the skin on his thighs. His genitals were exposed, but luckily unharmed as he seemed to care little about his indecent state, too worried for her safety as he insisted urgently, "We have to get out of here!"

"Yes, you do!" a voice Megamind had not expected suddenly spoke from right beside him, and he and Roxanne both turned to see Metro Man had suddenly appeared beside them as though out of nowhere. He didn't even give them time enough to respond. The burly teenager reached out and grabbed both Megamind and Roxanne around their hips, then started to run much faster than any human eye could see. In the span of only a second, the three were suddenly standing outside the school building behind a tree, as hidden as they could be.

"What?" Megamind blinked, swaying on his feet as he tried to recover from the effects of Metro Man's super speed. "You can warp yourself around _too_?"

Metro Man shook his head as he spotted Minion hurrying over to them. "No. It's super speed, but I don't have time to go into details now." He looked Megamind urgently in the eye. "They're coming for you. The secret service is on their way and will be here soon. They intend to dissect you. You have to get out of here! Hide! And take Roxanne with you. They'll abort the baby if you don't."

Roxanne suddenly felt dizzy as she felt Megamind's arm wrap around her protectively, Minion arriving at their side in his gorilla suit. Megamind blinked at the alien fish in surprise. "Minion, how did you…? You were in the monkey suit!"

"It was Metro Man, Sir," Minion explained hurriedly. "I had no choice. I took him to the Lair. He brought the invisible car! Come on, we have to go!"

"Right!" Megamind agreed, hurriedly running a few steps towards the curb, but pausing when he realized Roxanne seemed frozen to the spot. "Roxanne!" he called for her quickly. He tried to look as supportive as he could, but his voice was strangled with urgency. "Come with me, please! I swear to you I'll keep you safe! I won't let anything happen to you or the baby, but we have to go NOW!"

Roxanne felt stunned. She knew she had to go, but this was the last thing she had expected. When she'd gone over every scenario in her mind about the pregnancy, having to hide from scientists eager to tear her dashing blue boyfriend open just to study his insides was the last thing she had ever expected. She glanced to Metro Man and he gestured towards Megamind, assuring her as gently as he could, "Don't worry. This won't be the last you'll see of me. Minion let me in on your boyfriend's plans, the ones he hasn't even told you about yet. Megamind is good for you, Roxanne. He will take care of you. He can make you happy in ways I never could." Roxanne's eyes widened as she began to realize what he meant, but she had no time to ponder the fact her closest friend apparently _had_ developed feelings for her over the years but had hidden them for her sake. Shooing her urgently towards Megamind, he prodded her desperately, "Megamind will keep you safe, but if you don't go with him now, you won't be able to see him again, and you'll lose the miracle you created with him. Please, hurry! I'll do my best to distract the others. They'll be trying to figure out where you two went by now. Go! Now!"

"Thank you, Wayne…" Roxanne breathed in gratitude, using his real name to emphasize how much his help had meant to her, and as he smiled at her, she dashed off to join Megamind as he bolted for the curb. Metro Man was already long gone.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to come…" Megamind admitted as he opened the back door of the invisible car for her, Minion quickly getting situated in the driver's seat.

"I told you, I will _never_ leave you," Roxanne assured him seriously, and he smiled at her warmly for a moment before diving inside the backseat to stay beside her.

Megamind managed to close the car door just as the unmarked white van began to pull up to the school. "Go, go, go, go, GO!" he commanded urgently, and Minion hit the gas, speeding away from the school as fast as he could.

Roxanne watched out the rear window with Megamind, drawing comfort from his warm embrace as she watched the van, scientists, her school, her friends, and the rioting students quickly shrink away into the distance. Everything had changed. She squeezed Megamind tight, hearing and feeling him sigh in relief as he realized he'd escaped probably the worst danger to threaten his life since leaving his home planet behind at only eight days old. She was frightened, but as long as she had him, Roxanne knew she would be all right. He would never let anything happen to her, and she would never let anything happen to him. For better or worse, they were in for the long haul together. She sighed and rested her head against his shoulder, tightening her grip on him. Yes, this was where she belonged, in his arms. No matter what the future held, there was nowhere else she'd rather be. She would stand beside him through it all, no matter what.

* * *

><p>Mr. and Mrs. Ritchi sat together on their couch, holding each other tight as they watched the evening news. The incident that morning at their daughter's high school had been airing almost non-stop since it had happened, Roxanne's boyfriend's image plastered across the screen as a reward was offered for the capture and return of the wanted fugitive who'd raped their daughter, impregnated her, and kidnapped her right out from under their noses. They had spent the whole night in tears, wondering why they hadn't seen the signs. It made perfect sense… Megamind was an <em>alien<em> after all, and the one time they'd actually met him, he'd been geared up in a costume that only a supervillain could pull off. Dressed in leather and spikes and taking their daughter to the Homecoming dance on some wild flying motorbike of his own creation, they should have known. Why hadn't they asked Roxanne more questions about him? They had trusted her judgment, but this time she had been wrong, and now they didn't even know where she was, or if she was even still alive. What did Megamind want with her anyway? Did he plan to breed her, continuously impregnating her with his seed to keep her producing his inhuman offspring? Evelyn drew in a shuddering breath as she tried not to think about what could be happening to her daughter, but finding it an impossible task. Richard drew his wife in even closer, both to comfort her and himself…

They had tried to figure out where the big-headed blue alien could have taken their Roxanne, but had failed miserably in their attempts. They'd even contacted her close friend, Metro Man, and pleaded with him to use his super-powers to find her, but he had apologized, informing them gently that he had been scouring the city all day, but couldn't find any trace of them. Even his superhuman abilities were of no help in tracking them down. The police had no leads, and the warden of the prison that usually contained the criminal mastermind could offer no useful advice, simply reminding them all of Megamind's extreme intelligence and his penchant for escape. Megamind would be caught only if or when he showed himself, but not a minute sooner. "I've been saying it for _years_," the warden was being quoted on the nightly news. "That blue alien is nothing but a no-good monster! He's dangerous, and unpredictable, a _hazard_ to society! I tried to keep him contained, to fight against social services, but they insisted he be allowed to go to high school on good behavior. I tried to warn them, but they wouldn't listen. Now he's on the loose…"

A sudden knock on the front door interrupted the program, and the two worried parents scrambled to their feet. Hurrying to the front door, they threw it open in the desperate hopes of seeing their daughter standing there, or at least someone with news that might lead to her recovery. Instead they came face to face with a glowing blue mechanical creature, its red eye-stalk fixed on them as it bowged and flew past them unbidden into their house. "What the…?" Evelyn cried in alarm, and Richard reached for a bat. He drew it back, ready to hit the dangerous-looking robot… But before he could, it bowged a few more times, froze, and projected something they hadn't expected right there into their foyer.

Megamind himself stood before them, dressed in his spandex suit – but without the spiked collar, gloves, and cape.

Immediately recognizing the villain's blue face, Richard dropped the bat in shock as Evelyn gasped, and the recorded – but very lifelike – image began to play. "Mr. and Mrs. Ritchi," Megamind spoke to them gently, his tone sad as his eyes reflected the same. "I have sent my brainbot to deliver this message for me, as I cannot risk revealing myself even to you. The threat to my life and to Roxanne's is too great. I have no doubt that you have seen the news by now, and are very much aware that Roxanne and I are on the run. I regret that things had to turn out this way. You may choose to believe what the news is feeding you as most of your kind have chosen to do… But I assure you, I had only the best of intentions for Roxanne. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I love your daughter very much. If you believe _anything_ I say, please believe that… I would never harm Roxanne. She means so much to me…"

The blue alien's eyes averted for a moment as he drew in a deep breath, obviously overwhelmed with emotion. The two parents looked at each other, then back to him as his eyes focused forward again. "I regret that I cannot risk having my brainbot bring a message back from you for Roxanne to hear, but inter-communication is far too risky at this time. I'm taking a huge gamble just sending this brainbot to you. Please do not try to stop him from leaving after this message is played out in its entirety. If he is delayed or tracked in any way, he has been programmed to self-destruct. Our location _must_ remain secret, even from you. I apologize for this, but it is a necessary evil, and one I cannot afford to ignore. In time, hopefully you will understand.

"The news has been saying many things about me today, painting me in a very bad light… Although I am used to this, you should know that most of it is not true." Megamind's eyes grew pleading, serious. "Yes, I grew up in the Metrocity Prison for the Criminally Gifted. My pod landed there when I was only eight days old, and the prisoners raised me. I was never accepted into your society… Mankind took one look at my blue skin and giant head and labeled me a monster. No matter how hard I tried to fit in, it just wasn't possible. I'm used to being called the bad guy… And until I met your daughter, I thought I had to be. It seemed the only role I was being given, my destiny. Roxanne changed all of that."

Megamind smiled warmly suddenly, his eyes watering. "Your daughter amazes me. She is the first human to have accepted me for who and what I am, to actually _love_ me for it… She doesn't cringe when I touch her, or push me away… She doesn't call me a monster, or a bad boy… She _loves_ me. _Me_… Of all the people in this world, she chose _me_… I'm afraid I still can't believe it, but I will spend the rest of my days by her side trying to make certain I _deserve_ her devotion. She deserves the very best life has to offer, and though I can't give her a life full of glitz and glamour, I will give her the very best that I can provide. Even in the shadows, I will make her happy. Rest assured that she is safe and being well cared for. I would never let anything happen to her… Or the baby."

Megamind's face flushed softly as Richard wrapped a comforting hand around his nearly sobbing wife's shoulder. The blue alien was smiling, his eyes flooded with awe. "I still can't believe Roxanne is pregnant… And with _my_ offspring! I was convinced I was doomed to be the last of my kind, but now my race can continue through her. It is a miracle… A new life! I hope it looks like her. Roxanne is beautiful… I hope the child has her eyes. I want you to know that despite what the reports are saying, I _never_ raped your daughter, and wouldn't dream of it. What we did, we did out of love for one another. She has made me so happy. I never knew if our species, being from entirely different planets and of wholly distinct species, would be compatible… I should have tested the genetics long ago to find out, but… I had assumed I would die alone. After all, who could love _this_?" His eyes grew distant as he pointed to his own giant blue head with one hand, his other gesturing to his inhumanly thin body. "I believed no human would ever want me. I had expected to die never having felt the joys of love, or the simple pleasures of a gentle touch, never tasting a single kiss, let alone ever being mated… But Roxanne changed that. She entered my life like a shooting star, and I hardly deserve…"

He visibly choked up, unable to continue, and the two parents gasped as they heard Roxanne's voice from off-screen, "You _deserve_ me, Megamind." Their daughter's image suddenly flickered into view as she moved into the camera's field of view, her image recreated in as startling a clarity of realism as Megamind's as she moved over to embrace her overwhelmed blue lover. "I keep telling you, you deserve much better than you have been given." Megamind drew back from her arms, drawing in a deep breath in an attempt to steady his emotions, but it was dreadfully apparent he couldn't go on. Guiding him gently to stand behind her, Roxanne smiled weakly towards the camera – towards her parents as he embraced her, resting his forehead against her neck while she spoke. "He wanted to speak to you first. Mom, Dad, I hope you'll forgive me for making the choices I have, but I can't regret them. Please, don't believe anything you're seeing on the news. Megamind is _not_ a villain. He is merely misunderstood. The man I fell in love with is gentle and brilliant. He wouldn't hurt a fly, and he treats me with more reverence than I could possibly deserve…"

"No, Roxanne… You deserve the _world_," Megamind corrected her softly, kissing her hair and squeezing her tighter.

Roxanne's cheeks colored a soft pink, but her smile grew as she insisted, "Do you see what I mean? This is not a man who would ever _dare_ rape me. He _loves_ me, and I love him."

Roxanne's face grew serious. "The news is not telling you everything. What you are seeing is the cover story. The truth is the other kids at school found out I was pregnant with Megamind's child and attacked us. They called the secret service to have him taken away for experimentation. They wanted to see him cut open… They wanted him dead." She choked up, shaking her head to regain control. "And they intended to abort my baby." Evelyn gasped audibly, covering her mouth with her hands as Richard's grip on her shoulder tightened, Roxanne explaining, "They had me pinned to a wall… They were going to beat me so I would miscarry. Megamind saved me. He fought them off, he called in his brainbots, he _protected_ me… And he _saved_ our baby. Mom, Dad… Megamind is _not_ a villain. He is _not_ a monster, some horrible creature that should be caged and tormented as he has been his whole life, some inhuman _thing_ that belongs on some scientist's table… Megamind is a _hero_. He is _my_ hero. He is our _child's_ hero, and he should be _yours_. If it wasn't for him, I would be lying on a hospital bed right now. Don't believe the stories the news is feeding you. I know firsthand the truth, and I haven't seen it in a single report today."

"Don't worry about Roxanne," Megamind assured them as he held her close. "I swear to you, I won't let anything bad happen to her or your developing grandchild. They both mean too much to me, more than my own life. I will protect them, keep them comfortable, safe, and _loved_. They couldn't be in better hands. I promise you that."

"I don't know if or when we'll be able to contact you again," Roxanne admitted sadly. "The risk is too great at the moment. I convinced Megamind to take the chance this once so I could say goodbye to you. I couldn't bear the thought of just leaving you in the dark with nothing but those awful newscasts to frighten you as to my fate… Don't worry. I will be fine, and I will be happy. I love you both, and thank you for everything you've ever done for me. I wish I could be there to hug you right now, but I can't…" She swallowed hard. "Maybe one day when the heat dies down, if you haven't been brainwashed by the media, we can see you again. I would like you to meet your grandchild when he or she is born. I miss you both already. I love you."

Megamind and Roxanne both smiled weakly, then the image flickered and faded, the brainbot bowging once before he flew back out the front door and into the night. Evelyn burst into tears as her husband held her tight. If nothing else, at least they knew their daughter was safe. They hoped she would stay that way.


	21. Epilogue

**A/N: Wow, can you believe we've finally reached the end of this story? We've come so far, but all good things must come to an end. Don't worry though, I'm likely going to write a sequel or two following after this one! I've already got a few ideas floating around in my head. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! It's told from a different perspective than the rest of the fic was, but I think you guys will appreciate whose! ;) Credit for the child's middle name goes to mia_vaan. Thank you all for reading and for all your wonderful support! You guys are the greatest! 3 Enjoy! This chapter's rated PG for childbirth.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind.**

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><p><strong>Just Another School Year<strong>

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><p><strong>~ Epilogue ~<strong>

* * *

><p>He sighed to himself, frowning down at the man who lay unconscious at his feet. He was not a lean man by any means, not like himself, but then again, none of them were. He very rarely met anyone with a body type that could even come close to resembling his. But now was not the time to be reflecting upon the differences between himself and his victim. He had a job to do. He knelt down beside the man and pulled off his left glove, bringing his long, thin, blue fingers to the man's neck. There was a pulse. Good. He was still alive then.<p>

Megamind made it a point never to _kill_ his opponents, but he had no qualms about _hurting_ them – or at least enough to knock them unconscious. It was a necessary evil in his line of work, especially when the men he faced tried to kill him rather than cooperating – which happened almost every time. He could only recall a few cases where they had given up without a fight and let him spray them with his specially formulated knockout spray… It was so much easier when they cooperated, but it didn't happen often. Usually he had to get his hands dirty. The humans always assumed he'd be an easy target, mistaking his thin frame to indicate an inherent frailty he certainly did not possess. Sure, if he was hit, he would stagger just like any of them… But his alien anatomy was tougher than it looked. He usually came away from these fights with little more than a bruise here and there at best. It was when they drew guns or knives on him he had to worry… And only then would he bring out his dehydration gun.

Megamind preferred to fight his battles in other ways, using methods more sophisticated than by simply pulling a trigger. Though he loved his dehydration gun and used it when necessary, it just seemed too _easy_. He supposed it was the years he'd spent preening to become a supervillain, but there was so much to be said for _presentation_. When he dropped off his victims, he preferred to do it with _finesse_… And besides, turning them into little blue cubes would be just too easy, and these men didn't deserve that. They deserved much worse.

Though he had certainly improved his hand to hand combat skills since his high _shool_ days (not that he'd ever been bad at it to begin with; he was usually outnumbered then and was convinced that had been the reason he had lost so many fights, as he held his own pretty well when matched one on one), Megamind still preferred to win his fights through other means, often through technologically enhanced weaponry that would only stun, but never kill. He had a particular fondness for fencing, and was constantly experimenting with various forms of extendable swords, some of which were electrified for effect, others that had entirely different uses. One he was particularly fond of glowed a soft blue along its edges, a fact that seemed to easily distract and disorient his opponents long enough for him to tag them in multiple areas, the blade delivering a temporary numbing agent that passed straight through their clothing into their skin, freezing their muscle response until finally they were simply too numb to move at all. Then he would move in to finish the job…

Tonight, however, Megamind had used a new weapon he'd been developing, and this man had served as his unwitting test subject. He had created a glove that he wore on his right hand that delivered electrical shocks to anyone he touched when activated. It glowed blue in patterns all around it, the lines of light converging into a central circle on his palm where the shock would be discharged into its unsuspecting victim. All he'd had to do was reach out and grab hold of the fist that had been careening straight for his face and the man had stumbled back with a shriek, babying his stinging hand. A few more touches, and he was out cold. It had worked like a charm.

Now the man lay at his feet, unconscious but breathing, and Megamind deactivated his new glove. It stopped glowing as he frowned at the man. Now came the hard part. He pulled a coil of rope from his belt and moved to tie his hands, but paused when he suddenly heard a voice calling for him from his watch, the voice of his best friend. "Sir! Sir, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Minion," Megamind responded back. "The Glove of Justice worked like a charm! It knocked the man out cold!"

"That's wonderful, Sir!" Minion congratulated him, though Megamind could detect an undertone of urgency in the fish's voice that wasn't usually there. "What did this one do?"

Megamind groaned into his watch. "He was one of the worst, Minion. A rapist. I caught the bastard in the act… She was screaming. She ran away during the fight, seemed convinced I was going to get her next." He sighed heavily. "I hate it when they think that… When will they learn I'm _not_ the bad guy?"

"I don't know, Sir…" Minion replied as gently as he could, but he was rushing now, the urgency in his voice noticeable. "I'm sorry, Sir, but we can talk about this later. You need to return to the Lair _now_!"

Megamind was on his feet in an instant, his voice worried as he demanded, "What is it, Minion?" He paused for a second, licking his lips anxiously. "Is it time?"

"Yes, Sir!" Minion's voice rang out loud and clear. "Mrs. Roxanne's water just broke. She's going into labor!"

Megamind fell to his knees, quickly hurrying to tie up the man's hands and feet as he assured him, "I'm on my way! I just need to take out the _trash_ first." Lifting the man up into his arms with a strength seemingly born from out of nowhere, he quickly dragged him back to his jet-bike and strapped him on.

Five minutes later, the warden of the Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted found an unconscious man sitting by his gate, bound by ropes, with a letter pinned to his jacket that labeled him clearly as a rapist, and with a photo to prove it.

* * *

><p>Megamind flew through the secret entrance to his formerly-Evil Lair, hurrying as fast as his legs could take him into the delivery room they had set up just for Roxanne. He was relieved to see he hadn't missed the birth, Metro Man and Roxanne's parents all present and preparing for the delivery. "Oh, thank God, I didn't miss it!" he sighed in relief, scrambling over to his laboring wife. No court in the city would marry them officially with his supposed status as a fugitive, but they'd held their own ceremony in the privacy of the lair only a few months prior and that was good enough for them. He smiled down at her as he took her hand in his, squeezing it tight as he assured her, "I'm here, Roxanne! I'm here."<p>

"Oh, Megamind… I'm glad," Roxanne smiled back at him, then cringed and tried not to cry out as a contraction flooded her body with intense pain.

"It'll be OK," Megamind assured her, squeezing her hand tight. "Just breathe. Soon this will all be over, and we'll have our baby!" He smiled at her weakly, trying not to pale as he saw the pain she was in, then turned to smile at the others. "Thank you all for coming. It means a lot to us."

"We wouldn't miss it for the world," Evelyn smiled at her big-headed blue son-in-law, her husband nodding in agreement from his position at his daughter's feet as he prepared to deliver his grandchild. Richard may have specialized as a neurosurgeon, but this wasn't the first baby he'd delivered. He'd covered for his colleagues more than once before, and had jumped at the chance to be there for his daughter when the two had finally let them in on their secrets.

"Yeah, I'm not going to miss the birth of my two best friends' baby!" Metro Man added, clapping a friendly hand onto Megamind's shoulder as he shot him his most charming grin.

Megamind chuckled, smirking up at him, "You know, if you'd called me your best friend nine months ago, I'd have broken my fist on your jaw." Metro Man laughed with him, then he admitted modestly. "I'm glad I don't have to do that now."

"Do you have any regrets?" Metro Man asked him softly.

Megamind shook his head, smiling down at Roxanne as he caressed her hand between his, helping her through another contraction. "No. I am what I always wanted to be now. I have no regrets. I only wish I didn't have to operate in the shadows. It'd be nice to fight crime out in the open, like you do… To be able to show Metro City that we're partners rather than enemies."

Metro Man squeezed his thin shoulder gently, his eyes understanding as he agreed, "Yes, that would be nice… But don't give up hope yet, Megamind." Megamind blinked, his vivid green eyes meeting his, and the superhero smiled at him confidently. "Just give it time. The people of this city will see you for what you really are eventually; we just have to be patient in the meantime. Already I'm hearing some of them whisper uncertainty about the stories they hear about you… Many are beginning to sense the media has not been truthful about your real intentions. There is always hope. One of these days, you may be able to come out of the shadows and be recognized as the hero you truly are, and when that day comes, I will stand proudly beside you."

Megamind could feel his smile growing as he tried to remain in control of his emotions. Only nine months ago, this man had been his mortal enemy, a man he had sworn he would destroy by any means necessary… He had been the biggest bully he had ever faced in his life, the man who had given him the biggest push to set him on the path to becoming a supervillain… He had _hated_ him, _despised_ him… He had spent his nights in prison dreaming up so many ways to crush and humiliate him, but now everything was different. Now when he looked at Metro Man he saw not a rival, but a partner… He had become his closest friend aside from Minion, a man he had learned he could trust with his life. They worked together in secret, Metro Man shielding Megamind's whereabouts from the public eye and the secret service and diverting attention from his activities while Megamind did his best to reciprocate, providing the city's newest hero with intelligence garnered from his many sources as he stalked the city streets by night, hunting down the worst of its criminals in his own fight against crime. They watched each other's backs outside of the public eye, protecting each other and the city as they worked towards a common goal. Sometimes he still wished he could have just an ounce of the super-powered hero's good luck; after all, Metro Man didn't have to worry about being hauled away in a white van by scientists eager to dissect him. His wealth, superhuman abilities, and impenetrable hide made sure of that, while Megamind's vastly superior intelligence, technological prowess, and knack for getting out of tough scrapes while narrowly avoiding capture were the only things protecting him and his family. Regardless of Fate's seeming favoritism, however, he held no resentment towards the brawny alien. Not anymore. Megamind often found it hard to believe that the man he once detested had become his greatest ally and supporter. He was about to respond when Roxanne suddenly spoke up from beside him, her voice strangled with pain and irritation, "You know, I'm _really_ glad you two worked out your differences and have grown so close, but Megamind, I really need you to be _my_ hero right now!"

"Right! Of course! Of course!" Megamind nodded, refocusing his attention on the screaming woman lying on the bed beside him. Metro Man smiled and moved away to give them distance as the blue alien caressed and kissed his wife's hand. "I'm here for you, Roxanne! I love you."

Roxanne didn't respond, screaming instead, but Richard's head popped up suddenly as he announced, "All right, she's fully dilated! Roxanne, it's time! Minion, get everyone out of here. Megamind, you stay."

"Right away, Mr. Ritchi!" Minion beamed, hurriedly ushering Evelyn and Metro Man from the room as they anxiously wished the two soon-to-be parents good luck.

As soon as everyone had left the room, Megamind squeezed Roxanne's hand tight as her father insisted, "All right, Roxanne. Push!" Roxanne screamed loudly, and Megamind shrieked as he felt the bones in his hands being crushed by the force of her grip. Who could have guessed human women had so much power when in pain?

* * *

><p>The birth seemed to be taking forever as Megamind squeezed back tears. He doubted his hand would ever function again. Roxanne had been screaming almost non-stop, her grip only tightening as he did his best to try to ignore the pain and remind her to breathe. It hurt so bad, worse than being punched in the face, but he wasn't about to complain. His alien anatomy could handle it, and his discomfort was nothing compared to what she was going through. Her face was bright red, her body covered in sweat from her exertion. He tried not to show her how frightened he was, but his heart was racing. He felt as though it could burst from his chest at any moment, it was thumping so hard, but the scientist in him reminded him that such a thing was not possible. Even so, he couldn't help but feel anxious. He'd done as much research on this whole process as Roxanne had, and probably even more. He'd looked into every aspect of human pregnancy, studied every statistic. He knew how dangerous childbirth could be if anything went wrong, and this was <em>not<em> a normal human childbirth by any means. The ultrasounds had already revealed the child took after its father, inheriting his enormous cranium… As though pushing a normal human skull through the birth canal wasn't bad enough, Roxanne had to endure the pain of one at least twice as large as the human body was designed to handle. He swallowed hard and reminded _himself_ to breathe as well as Roxanne. He tried to remember that Mr. Ritchi was a skilled surgeon, that all the tools were there, prepped and ready should he have to remove the infant surgically. He was fully prepared to help with the process himself, and had even programmed his brainbots to recognize and hand them the necessary tools as needed. He had no intentions of losing his beloved Roxanne. One way or another, this half-alien, half-human miracle would be born _without_ taking the life of its mother. He only wondered how long Roxanne had to suffer before surgery became necessary…

"Keep pushing, Roxanne… That a girl!" her father's voice rang out loud and clear, and Megamind cast him a questioning look full of uncertainty and anxiety. Richard Ritchi met his eyes for a moment, then as if to answer the question burning in his mind, called out, "You're almost there! I can see the head!"

Megamind heaved a heavy breath of relief he hadn't even realized he was holding, and this time he was the one squeezing Roxanne's hand tight. It was almost here… His son or daughter, they didn't know which. They had wanted to be surprised, so had refused to learn the baby's gender when Richard had offered to tell them. Well, they would know in only a few minutes' time now… "You're all right, Roxanne!" he assured her excitedly. "The baby's almost through! Keep pushing! And breathe! You're about to be a mother!"

A few more loud screams and intense pushes later, and a baby's cry met Megamind's ears. "Congratulations," Richard smiled up at him, his hands working to clean off the baby after he'd cut the umbilical cord. "You have a healthy baby boy!"

"A boy…" Megamind breathed in awe, straining to see the baby from his position by Roxanne's head, but he couldn't see past the sheet draped over Roxanne's lower half.

He was still gazing in her father's direction when he heard Roxanne whisper weakly as she released his aching hand, "Go on… Go see your son."

Megamind glanced to Roxanne for a moment, but his attention was focused on the new sounds ushering from beneath the sheet. The child wasn't crying now that he was breathing, but Megamind knew he wouldn't be. He knew from his own memories his kind rarely cried at birth, their extreme intelligence already working to absorb and understand the world around them. The ache in his hand all but forgotten, he slowly made his way to Roxanne's feet and gazed awestruck at the new life Richard Ritchi was wrapping in a soft, warm, blue blanket. "Oh, God… He's beautiful…" he breathed in awe as the boy's bright teal eyes met his for the first time – and locked on him, as though he knew instinctively that this was the man who had fathered him. Richard placed the boy gently in his arms and he choked up, feeling tears rising to his eyes as he held him close. He couldn't stop smiling… "Welcome, my son," he spoke to the infant in his native tongue, remembering the words his father had spoken to him at his own birth. He knew Richard couldn't understand him, but he didn't care. He'd been trying to teach Roxanne his language and she'd picked up quite a bit of it. He wanted his son to speak it too. "Welcome to this world. It can be frightening at times, but do not be afraid… We love you, and we always will." Switching back to English as his grin suddenly grew excited, he darted over to Roxanne, his baby boy in his arms and gently transferred him into hers. "Roxanne! We have a _son_! Isn't he _beautiful_? He looks just like you!"

Roxanne giggled even as she sniffled, the mess of hormones surging through her body and her exhaustion making it difficult for her to control her emotions, but they were tears of joy she shed as she insisted breathlessly, "No, he looks just like his father. He even has your blue skin. He's gorgeous…"

Megamind kissed her forehead before running his hand affectionately over the baby's bald scalp. "He has _your_ eyes. Such beautiful blue eyes…"

"Tinged with your vivid green and still an unearthly intensity," Roxanne giggled. He smiled and she rested her head against his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she held their son. "He's so beautiful… I can't believe he's actually here…"

"Do you have a name for him?" Richard Ritchi smiled proudly at the two as he watched the two new parents cradle their newborn child.

Roxanne smiled and looked to Megamind. The proud new father smiled down to his son as he spoke his name for the first time. "His name will be Fetu. Fetu Thanh." Fetu smiled up at him as he heard it, as though he already understood the meaning of his name. Megamind had spent what felt like an eternity researching names until he had found the perfect ones for both a girl and a boy, and the two he had chosen for his son meant "god of the night; star" and "bright, clear blue, elegant," respectively. Now as he gazed down at his son and into those vivid teal blue eyes that reflected his own intelligence, he knew the name had fit, and it suddenly hit him: he was a _father_. He had been Metrocity's nighttime defender for the past nine months, but now he was also a proud and loving parent. His life would never be the same.

Megamind wouldn't have it any other way.


End file.
